Chicken Cutlets alla Pizzaiola

The Chicken Cutlet alla Pizzaiola is a tasty variant that combines the classic flavor of the cutlet with the typical flavors of Southern Italy. Here’s how to prepare this dish:

Ingredients

• 4 chicken cutlets (about 150-200g each)
• Flour, as needed for breading
• 2 eggs
• Breadcrumbs, as needed for breading
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• Olive oil, for frying
• 400g tomato passata
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Oregano, to taste
• Fresh basil, to taste
• 100g mozzarella cheese, sliced
• 50g grated Parmesan cheese
• Extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

1. Start by preparing the cutlets. Lightly flour them, then dip them in beaten eggs with salt and pepper, and finally in breadcrumbs to coat well.
2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and, once hot, fry the breaded cutlets until golden brown on both sides. Drain on kitchen paper to remove excess oil.
3. In another pan, lightly sauté the garlic with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Remove the garlic as soon as it turns golden.
4. Add the tomato passata to the garlic sauté, season with salt and pepper, and add a little oregano and hand-torn basil. Let the sauce cook for about 10-15 minutes on medium-low heat.
5. Place the cutlets in a baking dish, cover them with the tomato sauce, add the sliced mozzarella, and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 200 °C (392 °F) for about 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted and turned golden.
7. Serve the pizzaiola cutlets hot, garnished with fresh basil leaves.

Curiosity

This recipe combines two elements deeply rooted in Italian cuisine: the breading and frying of cutlets and the classic flavors of pizza, such as tomato, cheese, and aromatic herbs. The idea of “pizzaiola” style refers to this integration of flavors that call to mind the famous Italian preparation.