Recipe: Crispy Chicken Breasts

CRISPY CHICKEN BREASTS

2 cups fresh bread crumbs
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 shallot, sliced thinly
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon hot paprika, divided use
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 egg
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, about 1 1/2 pounds*

On a plate, combine the bread crumbs, garlic, shallot, herbes de Provence, salt, pepper and 1/4 teaspoon paprika.

Heat the vegetable oil and butter in large skillet over medium heat.

In a bowl, whisk together the egg and mustard.

Sprinkle the breasts with salt and the remaining paprika. Dip the breasts completely into the egg mixture, and then into the bread crumbs, patting the crumbs onto both sides with your hands. (If you don't like the icky feeling, wear disposable gloves for this step.)

Toss a bit of the bread crumbs into the pan to be sure it's hot; the crumbs should immediately sizzle. Add the chicken breasts to the pan, leaving space around each. Adjust the temperature so the coating doesn't brown too fast. Brown the chicken well on one side, about 7 minutes. Turn the chicken breasts over and cook until they feel firm to the touch, another 7 to 12 minutes, depending on thickness.

*If your chicken breasts are thick, flatten them between sheets of waxed paper with a mallet before coating them. Otherwise, increase the cooking time after turning to at least 12 minutes, a total cook time of about 20 minutes.

Servings: 4
Adapted from source: Bistro Cooking at Home by Gordon Hamersley and Joanne McAllister Smart