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Crispy Chicken Portofino
I love chicken cutlets. Whether they’re served simple with lemon juice or turned into chicken parm, chicken cutlets always make for a great meal. To change up my typical chicken cutlet meal, I decided to take one of my favorite pasta dishes from a nearby restaurant, and turn it into a new cutlet recipe. Welcome Crispy Chicken Portofino. This chicken is breaded in homemade prosciutto bread crumbs and covered generously in a portofino sauce. It’s crispy, salty, and full of Italian flavor!
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Crispy Chicken Portofino is different from other chicken cutlets I make because it uses homemade bread crumbs and a meat sauce. Yes, putting meat on meat sounds odd, but we’re not talking about a Bolognese sauce, instead my Portofino sauce is used and has pancetta in it.
For those of you who don’t know, Portofino sauce is a blush sauce that gets it’s unique flavor from shallots, pancetta and prosciutto. The sauce is like a vodka sauce, minus the vodka. The flavors are powerful and pair really well with chicken.
Instead of using prosciutto in the sauce, I put it in my homemade bread crumbs. This was my first time making bread crumbs and they were so easy to make and turned out delicious! I just combined fresh ciabatta, fresh oregano, prosciutto, and olive oil. I toasted the ingredients on a pan for 15 minutes and then pulsed in a food processor. The bread crumbs were a really nice change from the traditional panko (which I still love!) and were a hit among my family. I honestly might make an Italian style mac & cheese with them. YUM!
Overall, my Chicken Portofino is perfect for family gatherings or even a weeknight meal. The dish is unique, but familiar. A perfect type of meal to introduce to guests!
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Crispy Chicken Portofino
Ingredients
Prosciutto Bread Crumbs
- 1 ciabatta loaf
- a few sprigs of fresh oregano
- 1 tbsp EVOO
- 4 oz prosciutto
Portofino Sauce
- 2 28oz cans of crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 oz pancetta
- 2 shallots
- oregano to taste
- parsley to taste
- 2 basil leaves
- 1 cup heavy cream
Chicken Cutlet
- 3 chicken breasts butterflied (halved)
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup flour
- oil for frying
- 6 oz fresh mozzarella for topping
Instructions
Bread Crumbs
- Preheat oven to 425.
- Tear up the ciabatta and prosciutto. Place on baking sheet.
- Add oregano and olive oil to the sheet and toss.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes or until well toasted. Place the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until they form a bread crumb consistency.
Portofino Sauce
- In a large pot, add diced shallots and pancetta. Cook until shallots are lightly browned.
- Add the oregano and parsley and stir for 30 seconds.
- Next, add the tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir the sauce well so the shallots and pancetta are mixed in.
- Add the basil leaves and bring to a simmer. Cooking for 20 minutes.
- Remove the basil and add the heavy cream. Here, you can leave the sauce chunky or put in a blender to make it more smooth.
Chicken
- Turn the oven temp down to 400.
- Cut fat off of chicken and butterfly.
- Once the chicken is cut, set up the breading station. I typically set out parchment paper, wax paper, or foil. I put the flour on the left, a bowl with the egg in the top-middle, and the breadcrumbs on the right. When preparing the eggs, put a sprinkle of water in them so they aren't too thick. As for the breadcrumbs, add a tablespoon of parmesan cheese. In terms of the flour, add 1 tbsp of pepper.
- Heat up the oil (the amount is your choice, but I like to add a lot as if I'm deep frying to cook faster) in a cast iron skillet to 325 degrees F. Fry two pieces of chicken at a time. The chicken should take 5-10 minutes. Check with a thermometer or cut to the middle with a knife.
- As the chicken is frying, set up a wire rack on top of a baking sheet, or put paper towels on a plate, to place the chicken and let the oil drain when done frying.
- Once the chicken is finished frying, put it in a baking dish. Pour the sauce on the chicken, then add fresh mozzarella. Bake for 8 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
One Comment
OH MY GOD! This chicken cutlet recipe is genius. Love the portofino sauce and prosciutto bread crumb mixture. This is a must make for your next weeknight meal.