Chicken Milanese with Balsamic Glaze

And school begins again! Stephen couldn't wait to return. He says that school is "his favorite part of the day." Too bad I completely forgot about the poster he was supposed to work on over the break!! Ack. Joe and I are once more back to our quiet mornings alone... Bracken is guarding the patio from our mutant squirrel, who has been getting into garbage bags... and tonight I try out for the choir!!! Wish me luck!

One of my favorite culinary activities is discovering a new dish at a restaurant and re-creating it at home. And of course, trying to do it better. :) I had a chicken milanese dish on the way home from Missouri that inspired me to learn this classic. It was much simpler than I thought it would be! I hope you like it, we sure do!

Chicken Milanese with Balsamic Glaze
Printable Recipe

1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

3 eggs
2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
1 flour
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

You'll need 3 bowls: In the first bowl, combine 1 cup of flour, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and 1/2 tsp garlic powder. In the second, beat the eggs together. Put the Panko in the third. 

Cut each chicken breast into 2 chunks. Pound each half to about 1/2 inch thickness. 

In a large saucepan, pour some cooking oil (I prefer peanut oil) about an inch deep. Heat on medium high while you get the chicken ready. 

Dredge each chicken piece in the seasoned flour, then the eggs, then the Panko. 

Fry 1 or 2 pieces at a time, 2-3 minutes on each side. You want it a nice, deep golden brown. Mine is actually a bit light! I kept turning the heat up, bit by bit. It's pretty thin, so it should cook through quickly! Served drizzled with balsamic glaze.

*Note: After a question from a reader, I did some reading around. You can bake this instead! I didn't even know! Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes. I'm going to have to try that!*

Balsamic Glaze

Bring 1-2 cups of good balsamic vinegar to a boil in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add a pinch of sugar (per cup) and lower to a vigorous simmer. Let simmer 20-30 minutes, until reduced and thickened just a bit. (It should coat the back of a spoon when dipped) You can keep any leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Mmmm, so delicious!! For something that is admittedly, fried, you'd be surprised how light this tastes! It's crispy and juicy, not heavy at all! You can use regular breadcrumbs if you can't find Panko (or Japanese breadcrumbs) but I like these best for their light crunch. It would be scrumptious either way!

Oh, and don't forget the glaze!! This balsamic glaze is one of my new favorite things. It's sooo good! You can brush it on any meat or fish, drizzle in on vegetables, pair it with berries (oh yes!!) Its tangy sweetness is so versatile, so luscious, and guess what... a healthy way to add a punch of bright flavor!

Traditionally, this chicken is topped with a fresh salad of lemony greens and tomatoes, but I had neither on hand. It would have made for much prettier pictures! Maybe someday I'll make it that way and give you updated pictures. Until then, I hope I've convinced you with these!