Chicken Scallopini topped with Sauce Vierge

Chicken Scallopini

This is such a delicious way to serve chicken – crunchy on the outside and moist inside. Serve it with a salad for a light dinner or even lunch.

Ingredients

• 3  chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoon grasped or canola oil
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1 teaspoon Oregano
• 1 teaspoon Herb de Provence
• Salt and Pepper
• Drizzle of Olive oil

Preparation Method

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1. Pound the chicken breast with a meat mallet so that the breast is even in thickness. Approximately a half inch thickness.
2. Generously season the chicken with Italian seasoning on both sides.
3. In a shallow bowl, whisk together egg, salt and pepper.
4. Combine the parmesan cheese, garlic almond flour, oregano, herb de provence in a separate shallow bowl.
5. Create an assembly line with the egg wash and the flour mixture.
6. Dip the chicken in the egg wash and coat on both sides.
7. Then dredge the chicken in the parmesan mixture, pressing chicken lightly into the coating, then repeat on reverse side.
8. Heat oil and butter in a large non-stick skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry chicken piece for about 5 minutes.  Allow the chicken to crisp up.
9. Once the coating is crispy, golden and set, flip and continue frying on the other side on medium heat, until golden and cooked through, about 6 minutes.
10. Repeat with remaining chicken breast.

Sauce Vierge

This is a famous sauce that was made popular by the great chef Michel Guerard who was the master of lighter French cuisine – his food ebodied bright vivid flavours.

This is a perfect sauce to have in your repertoire and to keep on hand. It is very versatile and can be used to dress a salad, top grilled vegetables or chicken or fish. I have even served it with an omelette. It is more like a salsa and I often have a jar of this on my boat and at home.

Makes 3 cups

Ingredients

• 4 large very ripe tomatoes, peeled, cored and diced
• 2 tablespoons vinegar (white wine, champagne or balsamic vinegar)
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon shallots, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (any combination of chives, tarragon, basil, cilantro, parsley)
• 1 tablespoon lemon
• Sea Salt and pepper

Preparation Method

1. Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water for a moment and then remove to a cold water bath and peel the tomatoes. This offers a more refined sauce, but you can skip this step if you prefer. I think it makes a big difference in the sauce in terms of taste and texture.
2. Cut tomatoes in quarters, remove the seeds and cut into even dices and put in a bowl. (Don’t throw away any of the tomatoe seed mixture, save it for soups and sauces.)
3. Mince the shallots and garlic and add to the tomatoes.
4. Pour in the oil and gently coat the tomatoes.
5. Add the fresh herbs, vinegar and lemon. Gently stir together.
6. Season with sea salt and pepper.
7. Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to ten days.