Escalope of Chicken (from Gordon Ramsay)

     They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so the first recipe I'm posting is pinched directly from Gordon Ramsay. While many of Gordon's recipes are horrifically expensive to make, he does acknowledge the less affluent cooks. He has a number of very simple, yet wonderful recipes.

     If you use less expensive frozen bagged chicken breasts it can really cut down on costs. I normally keep an eye on the local market (County Market in Illinois) for sales. I can often find beautiful, fresh, bone-in chicken breasts for as little as $1 a pound. That's worth the small hassle of deboning. In the end, this recipe will end up costing in the range of $2.50-$3.00 a serving assuming you have the staples (milk, flour, oil, breadcrumbs) on hand. It can be even less if you have a garden like us and can just wander outside for the tomatoes and basil.

     The sauteed green beans on the side are my own original recipe. I'll share that later. Enjoy!

Escalope of Chicken (via Gordon Ramsay)

Ingredients

  

        4 chicken breasts, boned, skinned & pounded thin

•  Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 2oz. plain flour
• 6oz. dry breadcrumbs
• Olive oil
• 4oz. shredded mozzarella
• 2oz grated Parmesan
  

For the tomato sauce

• Olive oil
• 2 shallots (or 1 red onion)
• 1 clove garlic, finely sliced
• Approx 9 oz. cherry tomatoes
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Fresh basil to garnish
  

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Season the chicken fillets on both side with a little salt and pepper. Lightly beat the eggs together with the milk. Dust each chicken breast in flour, then dip in the beaten eggs and finally coat in the breadcrumbs.
3. Sauté the escalopes in a little hot olive oil until golden brown - approximately 2 minutes on each side. Drain the cooked chicken on kitchen paper, then remove to a baking tray.
4. To make the tomato sauce heat some oil in a heavy based pan. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add the tomatoes and basil. Allow the tomatoes to soften. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Spoon a little tomato sauce over each escalope. Top with 1 ounce of grated mozzarella, and sprinkle with the grated Parmesan. Bake in the oven for approximately 8-12 minutes (thicker chicken breasts will add cooking time. I've had some take as long as 20+ minutes), until the chicken is cooked (internal temperature of 165 degrees and the juices run clear) and the cheese is melted and golden.