Easy Chicken Cutlets for Two with a Quick Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce
I admit it. I’ve never really liked chicken breast. My husband does however, so I set out to find a recipe that I could love too. I wanted chicken breast that wasn’t bland and dry. Cooks Illustrated had a recipe that was super simple with very little time investment and it turns out that’s the trick. Cooking chicken cutlets should only take a few minutes or you start getting into that dry territory. Having the cutlet tender was one thing but I still want flavor and lots of it! The quick sun-dried tomato sauce is THE answer to flavorful and NOT boring chicken! You can make the sauce during the weekend and just toss it in the fridge and when you’re ready to saute the chicken cutlets during the week you can have dinner on the table in nothing flat!
This sauce is loaded with flavor and only takes about 5 minutes to put together. You’ll start with oil-toasted bread and pine nuts which add richness and texture. Next you’ll add in some no-cook ingredients to build up the sauce and then finally add in fresh herbs and spices for a boldly flavored sauce.
For the chicken breast you’ll need to slice them in half horizontally and then pound them between two sheets of plastic wrap to about 1/4 inch thickness. It’s easier to slice the breast if you freeze them for about 15 minutes first. All you need for seasoning is salt and pepper and then a quick two minute saute in hot oil set over medium-high heat, don’t add the chicken until the oil is starting to smoke though. Once you place the cutlet in the pan don’t touch them for two minutes so they get nice and browned. Flip them over for a minute more. Remove them to a plate and loosely tent them with foil for 5 minutes before serving.
I’m so glad I found a chicken breast recipe that I could love! This one’s just too easy not to try, so make it for dinner and let me know what you think!
- 1/4 slice hearty white sandwich bread, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, sliced thin
- 1/2 small tomato, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed
- 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Salt
- 2 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed, halved horizontally, and pounded 1/4 inch thick
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- Heat bread, pine nuts, and 2 teaspoons oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat; cook, stirring constantly, until bread and pine nuts are lightly toasted, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer bread mixture to a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped, about 5 pulses. Add tomato, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 2 teaspoons oil to food processor. Pulse until finely chopped, 5 to 8 pulses. Transfer to bowl and let stand, at least 10 minutes.
- Pat the cutlets dry with paper towels and sprinkle each side of each cutlet with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Place the cutlets in the skillet and cook without moving them until browned, about 2 minutes. Flip cutlets and continue to cook until second sides are opaque, about 1 minute longer. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Let stand for 5 minutes. Serve with sauce.
- Rinse the jarred sun-dried tomatoes for the best flavor.
- Sauce can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated in airtight container.
