Milanesa de Pollo a la Napolitana!

Hungry yet???  I used to always order this at my favorite Argentinian restaurant! 

You will need:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast

3 eggs

24 oz. panko breadcrumbs canister

1 cup all-purpose flour

kosher salt & pepper

2 tbsp butter

olive oil (enough to fill frying pan about 1 inch)

8 thin slices ham

mozzarella cheese

1-2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano

jar of your favorite marinara sauce
fresh chopped parsley

Butterfly and pound one piece of chicken at a time...  You'll want to use a sheet of plastic wrap and a meat mallet (I used a rolling pin because I couldn't find mine).

Slice the chicken as seen above - making sure to not cut all the way through. 

Open the chicken up like a book...

Flip the piece over and cover with plastic wrap - now time to give it a good pounding.  Make sure you don't go too hard and break the chicken.  Stop pounding when the chicken is about 1/3 to 1/2 an inch thick.

Time to bread the chicken - set up three stations (1. flour, salt & pepper, 2. beaten eggs with a splash of water and 3. panko bread crumbs)

First, dredge the chicken in the flour mixture and shake off any large clumps.  Then go right into the egg mixture, followed by the panko.  Sprinkle some more of the bread crumbs on top of the chicken and press with fingers.  Then let the breaded chicken rest on a baking pan.

Now it is time to pan fry...

Pour enough olive oil into a large frying pan so the oil is about an inch deep.  Add about 2 tbsp of butter and start heating over a medium-high flame.  The oil should be about 350-375 degrees before you add the chicken.  It might take about 5 minutes, but don't let the butter/oil burn.

If Taz could eat chicken every day, I think he would be a very happy boy.

When oil is shimmering and ready, add the chicken one at a time. 

After about 2 minutes or when golden brown, flip the chicken and let that side get crisp - another 2 minutes.

As each piece is cooked, let them rest on a cooling rack so any oil can drip off.  Season them as they come out of the oil with a pinch of salt.

Lay two slices of ham on each piece of chicken.

Next, add a little bit of fresh chopped oregano.

Add as much grated mozzarella as you want!  I could have put a bit more on so it would melt down the side of each piece...  Then spoon on some of your favorite sauce (I like Rao's marinara - it is good but pricey).

Bake the chicken at 400 degrees until the cheese is all melted - maybe about 6-7 minutes.  You could even just pop these under the broiler for about 3 minutes.

MUY MUY MUY BUENO!!!

Serve this up with a side of garlic fries!  Then give the plate a nice pinch of chopped parsley

(I forgot to do that before I took that last picture) 

Buen provecho!

Broiled Lobster Tails!!!

Here is a fancy way to bring a little "surf" to any "turf" dinner!  It's pretty easy too...
You will need:

2 lobster tails (around 8 ounces each)
paprika (a few pinches)
butter (a couple tbsp's)
olive oil (a few tbsp's)
kosher salt & pepper

*Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

These little guys were frozen - let them fully thaw before doing anything.  Also, make sure you use quality seafood - I'm sorry, but don't get frozen lobster tails from a box.

I recommend http://www.lobsterplace.com/ (favorite place and super fresh!)

Use a pair of good scissors to cut the shell as seen above.

It takes a little work to pull the meat away from the shell - use your finger tips.

Once the meat is pulled away, let it back on top of the shell.  This makes it look nice (think Red Lobster commercials - you can have your own "lobster-fest" at home now).  Rub the meat all over with olive oil.

Lay the tails on a cooling rack set on top of a pan. 

Sprinkle a light dusting of paprika on each and also salt and pepper.

Bake them at 400 degree for about 15 minutes.  I took these ones out and ran a chunk butter over the meat till it melted.  Set the oven to broil and return for about two minutes.

Throw it on a plate with a veggie and some meat (extra melted butter for dipping too) - there's your fancy Surf 'n Turf meal!  A little chopped parsley adds some more green to the plate! 

 Enjoy - summer is almost over - makes me want to yell "LOBSTA!!!"