Chicken Cutlets with Olive Relish

This recipe is a keeper. It’s easy, kid-friendly and also yummy. Basically, you have some great homemade chicken fingers that you leave plain for the kids and top with a delicious olive relish for the adults. I got the original recipe from Everyday Food. But then Eliza came to town last week and since she was helping me cook, we ended up changing several things. Actually, I shouldn’t blame her, I almost never make anything the same way twice.

Just thinking about this recipe is making me hungry.

Chicken Cutlets with (or without) Olive Relish

1 1/2 lbs. chicken cutlets, or tenders, or breasts cut into strips
1/4 cup flour
1/2 plain dried bread crumbs
coarse salt and pepper
1 large egg
olive oil

You will need 3 shallow bowls or rimmed plates for this first part. Place the flour in one dish and add a pinch of salt. Place the (beaten) egg in a second dish and add 1 tablespoon water and a pinch of salt to it. In the third dish, place the dried bread crumbs and 1/2 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper. Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon or so of olive oil in a Dutch oven. The whole shebang will look something like this:

When the oil is hot enough, dip each tender first into the flour, then into the egg wash and finally into the bread crumbs. Shake off the excess before placing in the pan. Cook until the tenders are golden brown (but not necessarily done all the way through). Remove the browned chicken to an oven proof pan and repeat with any remaining chicken. Put the browned chicken into a 350 degree oven and cook until the chicken is done.

While the chicken finishes cooking you’ll have time to stir together the olive relish.

You’ll need (and I double this, but I’m an olive lover):

2 T. fresh lemon juice
6 chopped green olives (the kind with pimento are fine)
1 T. olive oil
1 T. chopped capers

Now, isn’t this pretty (and blurry)?