Cacciatore-Style Chicken Milanese, Giada De Laurentiis' latest recipe, is an easy-to-cook dinner that still feels special.
"This recipe is like two classic Italian dishes in one: crispy cutlets of Chicken Milanese, and the flavorful sauce of Chicken Cacciatore," wrote De Laurentiis of the recipe.
She continued: "Think of this as a bright summer version of Cacciatore – fresh cherry tomatoes are the star, along with fresh mushrooms, bell pepper and onion with capers and herbs. The fresh flavor of the vegetables pairs perfectly with crispy chicken."
This meal is particularly weeknight-friendly because it is made using only one pan and it takes only 35 minutes to cook. It's also good for a crowd with different dietary needs; it's gluten-free, as the breading is made with rice flour and gluten-free panko (though it could absolutely be swapped for standard panko, too).
After seasoning and breading the chicken, the cutlets are pan-fried until they are a crisp, golden-brown. Those are then removed from the pan and set aside on a wire rack and sprinkled with a healthy amount of salt. Then comes the sauce — which is the "cacciatore" element of this dish.
The mushrooms are cooked down until they are a deep, almost caramelized brown. Then come the onions and bell peppers which are cooked until just softened, followed by the capers, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes and tomatoes.
The key is to make sure not to overcook the tomatoes: cook just until they start to release juices. Finally, spoon the sauce over the chicken and garnish with fresh basil leaves.
The resulting dish is crispy, juicy and bursting with Italian flavor. For a full recipe, click here.
