6 boneless/skinless chicken breasts, pounded into ½” cutlets
¼ cup lemon juice
3 beaten eggs
2 cups seasoned flour( 2 cups flour,2 tsp. salt,1 tsp. ground black pepper,2 tsp. granulated garlic,1 tsp. dry basil)
Breading Ingredients
2 cups plain bread crumbs
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp. dry basil
1 tbsp. fine lemon zest
Filling Ingredients
15 oz. ricotta cheese
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 pkg. frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and water pressed out
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1 tsp. dry basil
½ tsp. salt and ground black pepper
Basic chicken preparation
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Take each chicken breast half and place in a large zip lock bag, and pound into ½ “ cutlets. Place cutlets into a container, one at a time, and drizzle with the lemon juice. Cover, refrigerate, and let stand about 15-20 minutes.
Basic filling preparation
Place the ricotta, parmesan ,mozzarella, chopped spinach, granulated garlic, basil, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Mix to combine completely.
Basic seasoned flour and breading preparation
Using two separate large zip lock bags, place the specified ingredients into each bag and shake to combine completely.
Basic assembly, cooking, and presentation
Lay each cutlet on a flat surface, finish side down. Place two generous spoon full’s of the filling in the middle of the cutlet. Fold the ends in towards each other, and roll the cutlet away from you, forming a somewhat sealed package. Secure the loose end to the package with toothpicks. Prep the remaining cutlets the same way before proceeding to the next step.
Take each cutlet package and coat completely with the seasoned flour. This can be done by placing the package into the seasoned flour bag and gently shaking. Once all of the chicken has been floured, roll each one in the beaten egg and then deposit same into the breading bag. Once again, shake to coat completely. Place the completed chicken on a greased cookie sheet, leaving at least an inch between the pieces. Drizzle each piece with a light coat of olive oil and bake at 350 degrees for one hour, or until an internal temperature of 180 degrees has been reached.
Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Using a sharp knife, cut the chicken into medallions. Layer on the plate with your favorite sides. Garnish with fresh lemon and parsley.
Yield: 6 servings
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour, internal temperature:180 degrees
