In this recipe, I made a bow to traditional chicken recipes by cooking the cutlets first. However, unlike real chicken, the analogue cutlets cook in just two to three minutes on each side.
Take the cutlets off the heat and let them rest on a plate while you make the simple, delicious sauce, which is a variation of a vodka pasta sauce that my family dearly loves.
I serve this dish with buttered pasta and broccoli or green beans topped with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
We paired it recently with an outstanding 2009 Masseria Cavallo Negroamaro from Puglia, but a good Sangiovese or Zinfandel would also match it nicely.
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 Lightlife Smart Cutlets Original (2 packages) or 12-ounce package of Gardein Lightly Seasoned Chick'n Scallopini
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 3 tablespoons vodka
- 28-ounce can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
- ½ cup diced tomatoes
- ½–1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3–4 tablespoons cream cheese
- 2–3 sprigs of fresh basil or Italian parsley, finely minced
- Heat the skillet and add the olive oil. Sauté the cutlets for 2 minutes on each side, and then set aside.
- In the same skillet, sauté the garlic for a minute or so. Add the vodka and cook for 2–3 minutes to deglaze the pan.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, and cook for 10–12 minutes until your sauce has slightly reduced and thickened. Use the time while the sauce is cooking to prepare your veggies or make a salad and set the table.
- Add the cream cheese, and let simmer on very low heat for 2–3 minutes. Add the minced basil or parsley. Return the cutlets to the creamy tomato sauce and gently reheat.
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