breaded chicken cutlets

4 chicken breasts

1/4 C table salt

GGround black pepper

1 1/2 C homemade bread crumbs

3/4 C unbleached all-purpose flour

2 Large eggs

1 T + 3/4 Cup olive oil

Leon wedges for serving

 

1. Pound chicken to 1/2 inch thickness; dissolve salt in 1 quart cold water in 1 gallon ziplock; add cutlets, seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible; refrigerate 30 minutes; line baking sheet w/ 3 layers of paper towels.

2. Remove the cutlets & lay them in a single layer on the baking sheet. Cover with another triple layer of paper towels & press to dry. Allow cutlets to dry for 10 minutes. Carefully peel off paper towels, sprinkle with pepper to taste, set aside.

3. Adjust oven rack to lower middle position, heatproof plate on the rack & heat oven to 200F. Place bread crumbs on  shallow plate. Spread flour in 2nd dish. Beat eggs with 1T olive oil in 3rd shallow dish. Place wire rack over baking sheet.

4. Working with 1 at a time, dredge cutlets in flour, shake off excess. Using tongs, dip both sides of the cutlet in the egg (goal: thin coating), dip both sides in bread crumbs, pressing with fingers to ensure even coating, place breaded cutlets on wire rack and allow to dry for 5 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, heat 6T of the remaining oil in a skillet over Med-Hi heat until shimmering but not smoking (~2mins). Lay 2 cutlets in the skillet ~2.5 mins. Turn. Reduce heat to M, ~2.5-3 mins. Line warmed plate with double layer of paper towels, set cutlets on top, return plate to oven.

6. Discard oil, wipe skillet clean, repeat step 5 with remaining oil.