Q: What's the best way to cut chicken in half for scallopini?-Ted Widlund, Bloomfield Township, Mich.
A: Scallopini-style refers to taking pieces of meat including poultry and pounding them thin so they cook quickly. The thin pieces are typically dredged in flour and then pan-fried. Sometimes the meat is pounded so thin you can roll it.
But it's the pounding that can be troubling.
Sometimes, the chicken breast will tear or wind up looking like a shaggy mess. Other times, the chicken breast is simply too big and thick at one end and it will take a long time to get to the thickness needed.
An alternative method I use all the time is slicing the chicken breast in half horizontally to make it into a neat cutlet or even piece. Once you slice it, you can pound it even thinner if you need to roll it for, say, chicken saltimbocca or any dish that calls for encasing other ingredients in chicken.
Here's how to slice chicken into two even thin pieces. It's best to start out with well-chilled chicken breasts. Stick them in the freezer on a plate for about 20 minutes to chill them quickly if need be.
Place a cold chicken breast on a clean work surface and hold it in place with the palm of your hand. Starting at the thickest end, slice the breast in half horizontally, working away from you and toward the thinner end. You will end up with two even chicken breast pieces. If you want them any thinner than this, use a meat mallet or rolling pin to pound them even thinner.
Many times, I slice chicken breast this way for quick-cooking on the grill. It makes it easier than trying to grill large chicken breasts that are way too thick at one end. What happens when you grill a whole piece is that it takes so much longer for the thick end to cook on the grill and then the thinner, tapered end becomes overcooked and dry.
You can try this slicing technique with this recipe for Chicken with Roasted Lemons and Capers.
CHICKEN WITH CAPERS
AND ROASTED LEMONS
Serves: 4 / Preparation time: 15 minutes / Total time: 45 minutes
ROASTED LEMONS
3 medium lemons, scrubbed, thinly sliced and seeded
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon sea salt or more to taste
CHICKEN
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, about 1 pound
1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup white wine
2 tablespoons rinsed and drained capers
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
To roast lemons: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the lemon slices in a single layer. Brush the lemons with the oil and sprinkle with salt.
Roast the lemons until they are slightly dry and beginning to brown around the edges, about 30 minutes.
To prepare the chicken: Cover the chicken with plastic wrap and pound it with a rolling pin until flattened to about 1/2-inch thick, or slice the breasts horizontally in half. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place the flour in a shallow dish or pie plate and dredge the chicken to coat on both sides. Shake off the excess; discard the remaining flour.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until it's golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Add the chicken broth and wine and bring the liquid to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Boil until the liquid is reduced to syrup consistency, about 5 to 8 minutes, turning the chicken halfway.
Add the roasted lemons, capers, butter, 2 tablespoons parsley and more pepper if desired. Simmer until the butter melts and the chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes.
Transfer to a platter. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon parsley and serve.
Adapted from Eating Well magazine, fall 2004 issue. Tested by Susan Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen.
265 calories (28 percent from fat), 8 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 15 g carbohydrates, 29 g protein, 242 mg sodium, 72 mg cholesterol, 4 g fiber.