Mustard Milanese with an Arugula Fennel Salad

I can take no credit for this recipe or this dish; it was all Seamus.

When I came home after going to happy hour with some friends and  could hear the crackling oil from the kitchen, I knew I was going to have something great for dinner. Seamus and I don't fry things very often in our kitchen, mostly for health reasons, but the more we do fry, the more I want to fry!

Seamus did a great job of frying this chicken. It was crunchy on the outside, and moist on the inside. The crust of the chicken itself was so flavorful that I would have just eaten little balls of fried crust on their own!

The salad and the sauce balanced everything out nicely; this dish was a treat to come home to!

Mustard Milanese with an Arugula Fennel Salad

Courtsey of Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perlman

Ingredients for the Chicken
2 Boneless, skinless chckien breasts
Table salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 Cup all-purpose Flour
1 Large egg white
2 Tablespoons smooth dijon mustard
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1 Teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 Teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 1/2 Cup coarse, lightweight breadcrumbs, such as panko
Mix of vegatable and olive oil, for frying

Ingredients for the Salad
3 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)
2 Tablespoons whole-seed or coarse Dijon mustard
1 Tablsepoon smooth Dijon mustard
1/4 Cup olive oil
5 Ounces baby arugula leaves
Small fennel bulb

Directions
Prepare chicken - On a cutting board with a very sharp knife, butterfly your chicken breasts, and slice them all the way though, so that you end up with four think cutlets. With a  meat pounder (not a tenderizer), pound your cutlets out between two pieces of plastic wrap up to 1/4 inch thickness. Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.

Grab three big plates, and line them up on your counter. Pour the flour into the first one. In a small dish, whisk together the eqq white, smooth Dijon, garlic, oregano, and lemon zest. Pour half o fthis mixture into the bottom of the second plate. In the third plate, spread out the breadcrumbs. Dredge each piece of chicken lightly in floud, then heavily in the egg white mustard mixtue, and generously in the breadcrumbs. Repeat with second peice of chicken, then refill egg white-mustard plate and repeat with final two peices of chicken. Arrange the breaded cutlets on a large tray, and chill them in the fridge for 1 hour, or up to 1 day (covered with plastic wrap). This helps the coating set.

Preheat your oven to 175 degrees.

Cook Chicken - Pour 1/2 inch of oil - use a mixture of olive and vegatable oil, or the frying oil of your choice - in a large pan, and heat over medium-high heat. Test the heat with a flick of water - if it hisses, you are good to go. Cook the chicken until golden brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes on the first and 2-3 minutes on the second. Remove the chicekn from heat, and salt and pepper on both sides while draining on paper towles. Once it is drained, transfer the chicken to a tray to keep in the warm oven. Repeat with additional oil and remaining pieces of chicken.

Prepare Salad - In a small bowl, whisk lemon jiuce and mustards togeether, then whisk in olive oil in a thin stream. Pour three-quarters of this into a large bowl. Add arugula to bowl. Thinly shave your fennel bulb on a mandoline, or cut it as thinly as you can with a sharp knife, and add this to the arugula.

To Serve - Wehn you are ready to serve it, toss the salad. Arrange one piece of chicken from the warm oven on a palte. Drizzle a few drops of the reserved salad dressing onto the chick (you will thank me when you try it), and pile the salad on top. Season with salt and pepper, and eat immediately.