Panko Fried Chicken Cutlets with a Mushroom White Wine Cream Sauce

This is not a quick meal.  It is still easy but it has many steps.  This is not the dinner I make after a 8-9 hr shift on my feet all day at work, but it is an excellent Sunday Lunch.  Sunday Lunch is a tradition that has almost fallen off the edge of the world. In our modern hub bub lives we seem to forget the great value of a well prepared home cooked meal that Mom and Grandma spent all sunday afternoon preparing when the family came home from church. Dad's and Granddad's watched football or some other sport, kids ran amuck in the yard, and there was Mom and Grandma slaving away in hot kitchen making a delicious meal for us all.  I am not saying ladies that we need to spend all Sunday every week slaving away but there is some gratification in making a meal that is fit for royalty, and that took you some time and you worked really hard on, and served your family a lovely meal!  That is what this meal is!



3 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into strips

1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk with 1 tbs cream of tartar)

1/2 tsp each of salt, pepper, and smoked spanish paprika ( you can also use regular paprika, I just feel that the smoked spanish has more flavor)

2 eggs beaten well

Panko bread crumbs

Canola oil to fry in

for the sauce

3 oz cream cheese at room temperature

2 tbs dry vermouth wine

1/2 cup pearl onions peeled (you can use chopped onions, I just love the sweet taste of a pearl onion)

1/4 cup half and half (I use fat-free)

1 cup sliced mushrooms divided

1 tbs fresh parsley

olive oil and salt and pepper to taste

Cut the chicken breast into strips. If the meat is still slightly frozen it will be easier to cut.  You can use that trick with any meat that you have to slice or cube.  If you don't have buttermilk handy you can make your own by adding  1 tbs of cream of tartar to 1 cup milk and mix.  Place the chicken strips in a bowl and sprinkle with the salt and pepper and paprika, then pour the milk over and mix to combine.  Cover and chill at least one hour.



I make the sauce first and keep it warm while I fry the chicken. Otherwise the chicken will get cold and soggy while you make the sauce.

Sautee the pearl onions and 1/2 cup of the mushroom in olive oil in a sautee pan til soft and brown.  Deglaze the pan with vermouth.



Melt the cream cheese and add the half and half, salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil and then remove from heat to cool slightly. Pour mixture into a blender or a mini food processor, add the fresh parsley and bled till creamy.



Place back in pan and add other 1/2 cup mushrooms and 6 tbs chicken broth to thin. Bring to a boil turn heat to low and cover.  Stir every now and then while you are cooking the chicken.



In 3 separate bowls have chicken soaked in milk, beaten eggs and panko crumbs.



Use one hand for wet and one hand for dry.  Take milk soaked chicken place in eggs, dredge both sides in panko crumbs til coated.



Heat Canola oil to approx 375 over medium high heat.  Cook Chicken in batches. Be sure not to over crowd your pan or your chicken will get greasy.  If you place the chicken in a clockwise pattern you won't have any trouble knowing which one to turn next and you will have all your chicken come out a uniform brown.  Cook in oil till one side is browned and then flip to brown other side. Only flip once or you run the risk of cooking unevenly and losing your crumb coating.



Drain on a baking cooling rack over paper towels to keep the chicken crispy.





Plate with the mushroom sauce.



I also make roasted asparagus and cheddar cheese biscuits with this meal. It is casual elegance at it's best! I hope you enjoy and that you have many great family meals!