Chicken Cutlets with Green Garlic & Lemon Sauce
Chicken cutlets serve as one of my favorite weeknight dinners. There are so many ways to serve them by simply changing up the sauces based on what you have on hand. This week the star of the show was this beautiful green garlic that showed up in my basket. I've never actually cooked with green garlic before and it basically looks like a cross between a green onion and a leek...landing right in the middle size-wise and having a much more delicate flavor than traditional garlic.
Green garlic is generally only available at farmers markets during the spring months and is really just a young garlic plant that has not yet begun to mature into the bulb state we familiar with. When farmers begin thinning out their garlic crop, this delicious, sweet treat is what they get.
If you can't get your hands on green garlic, I suggest trying this recipe using leeks instead. The lemon I used gives the dish a brightness and the almonds give a delicious added crunch.
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 cup green garlic slices
juice and zest of one lemon
1/2 cup of chicken broth
2 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped toasted almonds
Directions:
Pound chicken breasts out until they are about 1/2" thick all around [this will ensure even cooking]. Sprinkle cutlets with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Place flour on a small plate or other lined dish. Dip each piece of chicken into flour, evenly coating and dusting off the excess.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet {cast iron if you have one} over medium-high heat. Once the oil is heated, add chicken pieces and allow to cook until golden brown; about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove chicken from skillet and keep in a warm place until the sauce is done.
Without rinsing out the skillet, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and reduce heat to medium. Add the green garlic and stir often until edges begin to turn a golden color and it appears garlic has softened, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in broth, lemon juice and zest and allow the mixture to thicken; about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and almonds.
Place one piece of chicken on each plate {I served over a bed of basmati rice} and drizzle sauce over chicken. Enjoy!
