Sautéed Chicken Breasts With Herbs and Asiago Cheese and Italian Garden Sauté

Summer time is when we our taste buds get spoiled by full flavored fruits and vegetables because you are picking them from your own garden buying them somewhere where they were picked from a farm that day. I can’t tell the difference with all vegetables but tomatoes and white corn taste amazing when they are really fresh.

This is a great do ahead dinner. I cut up the vegetables and put them in a covered bowl and bread the chicken and set it on a plate, covered. Then I take them out out of the refrigerator, start heating the pans and it’s a quick and easy dinner in 20 minutes.

Sautéed Breaded Chicken Breasts With Asiago Cheese and Herbs

Version 1— Low Carb

Ingredients

• 2 large chicken breasts
• salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons rice or millet flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (24 month aged parmesan)
• 1/2 almond meal
• 3 medium fresh basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil or light olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter

Instructions

Place chicken in a plastic bag and pound to 1/2 inch thick. Cut chicken breasts diagonally through the middle to make four pieces. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Process parmesan cheese, almond meal, basil leaves they are even crumbs. Place flour on a plate, beaten egg on another plate, and cheese and almond meal mixture on a third plate. Dredge chicken in flour, then in egg and then lay each side on the cheese and almond meal mixture. Chill for 30 minutes.
Heat the oil and butter in a skillet over a little less than medium heat. Transfer the chicken breasts to the skillet. It should sizzle but not spatter if you have the heat at the right temperature. Cook the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until they are golden brown. If they get dark brown in that amount of time, the temperature is too high. (You can also place the breasts in a buttered casserole and bake them in a 425 degree oven for 20 minutes.)

Version 2

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts
• salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons rice or millet flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or asiago cheese
• 1/2 regular or gluten free bread crumbs* (Nutritious Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread June/2014) or keto/paleo crumbs (Grain-Free Rolls July/2022
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• a few sprigs of parsley (1 tablespoon chopped)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons coconut, avocado oil or light olive oil**
• 1 tablespoon butter

Instructions

<>Place chicken in a plastic bag and pound to 1/2 inch thick. Cut chicken breasts diagonally through the middle to make four pieces. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Process parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, garlic clove, oregano, parsley and salt until they are even crumbs. Place flour on a plate, beaten egg on another plate, and cheese and breadcrumb mixture on a third plate. Dredge chicken in flour, then in egg and then lay on the crumbs, turn over and press to get the bread crumbs to stick well. Lay chicken on paper towels on a plate and chill for 30 minutes.
Heat the oil and butter in a skillet over a little less than medium heat. Transfer the chicken breasts to the skillet. It should sizzle but not spatter if you have the heat at the right temperature. Cook the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until they are golden brown. If they get dark brown in that amount of time, the temperature is too high. (You can also place the breasts in a buttered casserole and bake them in a 425 degree oven for 20 minutes.)
*I don’t use dry or toasted crumbs because I like the crust moist and slightly crispy but if you spread the bread crumbs on a plate to dry for a little while, it makes it easier to bread the chicken.
**Trader Joe’s Trader Grotto’s Sicilian (cold pressed) Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a blend of three olives from Sicily, packaged in Italy in a beautiful bottle. It’s light and delicious. Store it in the dark and use up within a month.

Italian Garden Sauté

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 large garlic clove
• 2 cups squash, sliced in 1/8” slices
• 1 cup sweet pepper (any color), diced
• 3 ears of corn, kernels removed
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1 large heirloom or beefsteak tomato, cut in small pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

Melt butter in a large skillet and add the onion, garlic, zucchini, green pepper, corn, basil and oregano and sauté until liquid has evaporated and vegetables are soft. Add the tomato and salt and pepper and sauté 3-5 more minutes.