Chicken Scallopini

Italian Dinner Recipes

1 lb. boneless chicken breast 1 c. flour 2 tsp. Italian seasoning 1/2 tsp. garlic salt 3 Tbsp. olive oil 3 Tbsp. lemon juice (or juice of one lemon) 2 Tbsp. white wine 1 c. chicken stock 2 Tbsp. flour

Scallopini refers to the "scallops" of meat - pounded flat and thin. Pounding helps tenderize the meat and it will cook quickly. Start with the chicken breast. For particularly thick chicken breasts, slice them in half to make two thin pieces. Place them on your "chicken cutting board" and top with a piece of waxed paper. Whomp with a meat tenderizer or your fists. (A great stress reliever.) The idea is to get the meat to 1/8 - 1/4 inch thick (.3-.6cm). If you're in a rush (or not in need of stress release!), use the "thin cut" chicken breast tenderloins from the grocery store. On a plate, combine flour, garlic salt, and Italian seasoning. (If you don't have Italian seasoning, substitute 1 tsp. oregano + 1 tsp. basil.) Prepare the skillet by coating it with a thin layer of olive oil. (About 3 Tbsp. should do it for a large skillet.) Dredge the chicken in the seasoned flour. Sauté in the olive oil over medium-high heat, flipping once, until done. (This won't take very long, but it depends on how effective you were at getting the meat really thin.) When done, remove from pan to a plate. Cover to keep warm. Deglaze the pan with the juice of one lemon and the wine. Then add the flour, stirring to eliminate lumps. Slowly add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Simmer to thicken. Serve chicken over the pasta of your choice, drizzled with the sauce.

Submitted by Gretchen Grant
Contributed on: Wednesday June 6th, 2007 and modified on Wednesday June 6th, 2007