Chicken Scaloppine with Spring Greens

I know it may not seem like it, but I do try to eat as healthily as possible most of the time. We eat very little red meat . . . and I only very rarely deep fat fry anything.



We often eat chicken or fish, or no meat at all, but we always have lots of vegetables. WE love vegetables and by that I don't mean tinned peas and carrots, although, I suppose they are better than no vegetables at all!



This is one of my favourite dishes this time of year. It's somewhat a break away from stodgy winter food . . . light and colourful too. Light in flavour, texture and fat and calories as well.
The chicken is flash fried in a very small amount of oil . . . it is crispy on the outside and yet tender and moist on the insides because it hasn't been over cooked. The light breadcrumb coating is delicious.



The greens are wonderful . . . a bit salty from the pancetta, smokey and slightly sour, and tasting of the earth and well . . . spring!



The two together are wonderfully delicious! All you need as a side dish is some tasty steamed baby new potatoes and a juicy wedge of lemon for squeezing over the chicken! Roll on Spring! I am feeling frisky like a newborn lamb and anxious for some sunshine!



*Chicken Scaloppine with Spring Greens*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Flash cooked chicken breast, moist and tasty served along side some lightly sauteed spring greens. Low fat and healthy too!

1 TBs olive oil.
2 ounces fine dry bread crumbs (1/2 cup)
1/2 tsp dried oregano, rubbed between your fingertips
1/4 tsp dried basil, rubbed between your fingertips
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
5 (6 ounces) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
100g of pancette, cut into cubes (about 1/4 cup)
4 ounces dry white wine (1/2 cup)
4 ounces chicken stock (1/2 cup)
3 TBS fresh lemon juice
1 tsp butter
1 pound of spring greens, sliced crosswise
2 TBS chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 TBS capers, rinsed and drained

Place the chicken breast between two sheets of cling film and give them a bash with the side of your rolling pin until they are about 1/4 inch thick, taking care not to tear them. Mix the bread crumbs and seasonings together on a large shallow plate. Coat the chicen breasts in this mixture, patting them to help the crumbs adhere well.

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Cook the chicken breasts for about 3 minutes per side, until nicely browned and just done through. Remove from the pan and keep warm.

Add the pancetta to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until they are nicely browned. Add the wine, broth, lemon juice and butter to the pan, scraping the pan to loosen up any tasty bits. Add the sliced spring greens. Cook and toss in the pan juices for several minutes, then cover and allow to steam until done, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the chopped parsley and capers. Divide the greens amongst four heated plates. Top each with a chicken scaloppine and serve immediately.

Notice - I am thinking of hosting a blogging event similar to that program on telly, called Come Dine With Me. I was wondering how many of you foodies out there would be interested in participating. On the show Come Dine with Me, a group of people each hold a dinner party and then they vote on each other's dinners and at the end of the week, whoever gets the most points is picked. The difference here would be because obviously we can't visit each others homes to eat, we would have to present our "Dinner Parties" on our blogs, and then the general public could vote on which one they like the best. The idea would be for you to post your own on your pages (all on the same day) and then I would set them all up in a post on here, obviously pointing the public to your page to have a look and then back here to vote. (This means that you would all have to send me your links and a photo ahead of the post date) On the television show, the winner gets a grand prize of £1000. I can't promise anyone anything like that obviously, but I do think it would be fun, and you never know, I might be able to drum up a prize somehow! If you could let me know if you'd be interested I am happy to give it a go!