Cucina is Italian for kitchen. This is an easy meal using items you already have in your kitchen, hence the name.
Serve with a crisp fresh salad and tortellini or fettuccine pasta smothered in tomato sauce. Add fresh Italian bread and a bottle of wine and you have created a beautiful evening.
Cucina Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tbsp. salt
- water
- ½ – ¾ cup flour
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- 3 tbsp. butter
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 4 tbsp. chicken stock
- 2 tsp. dried thyme
- 4 tsp. grated Parmesan
- 4 tbsp. red pasta sauce
- 2 tbsp. dried oregano
Dissolve salt in a bowl large enough to hold the chicken comfortably. Add chicken. Cover with more water. Marinate in the refrigerator 4-8 hours.
Preheat oven to 350°F
Drain chicken, and then pat dry. Pour flour into a paper or plastic bag. Grind in pepper. Shake to combine ingredients. Add 1 breast, gently shake to coat. Continue until all breasts are coated.
Melt butter into olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Shake excess four from chicken and carefully add the breasts to the hot oil. Fry chicken to a light golden brown on both sides.
Arrange the browned chicken on a baking sheet lined with buttered parchment paper or sprayed with Pam.
Dribble chicken stock over each breast. Sprinkle with thyme and parmesan cheese. Top with 1 tbsp. pasta sauce on each breast. Freely shake oregano across the chicken.
Bake 10 minutes and serve.
