Cutlets cooked à la milanese—breaded in a cheesy crumb coating and pan-fried until crisp—are popular in every part of Italy (and here, for that matter!). They are usually made with veal, but my little aunt Carolyna wanted something she could serve her college friends, many of whom don’t eat veal. So I substituted chicken for the veal and added fennel to the quick pan sauce in this dish I devised for her; it is quite light and fresh-tasting, yet still true to the original.

　　

Ingredients

4 to 6 servings

　　

Chicken

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

　　2 large eggs

　　1 1/4 cups plain dried bread crumbs

　　2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

　　2 teaspoons dried basil

　　1 teaspoon dried thyme

　　4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, tenderloins removed

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　1/3 cup vegetable oil

　　

Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

　　2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and thinly sliced, fronds reserved for garnish

　　2 cups (12 ounces) cherry tomatoes, halved

　　1 garlic clove, minced

　　1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

　　1/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

　　1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste

　　1/2 cup (4 ounces) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature

　　

Step 1

For the chicken: Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 150°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack.

　　

Step 2

Spoon the flour into a wide, shallow bowl. Crack the eggs into another wide, shallow bowl; lightly beat them. In a third wide, shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, basil, and thyme.

　　

Step 3

On a work surface, place the chicken between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet, lightly pound the chicken until approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour to coat lightly, then dip into the beaten eggs, allowing the excess egg to drip off. Coat the chicken with the bread-crumb mixture, pressing gently to adhere.

　　

Step 4

In a large, nonstick sauté pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Place 2 pieces of breaded chicken in the oil and cook until light golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to the prepared baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Reserve the cooking juices in the pan.

　　

Step 5

For the sauce: Add the olive oil to the reserved cooking juices in the sauté pan and heat over medium heat. Add the fennel and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until the tomatoes are tender. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the mascarpone cheese and stir until the mixture is creamy. Season with salt and pepper, if needed.

　　

Step 6

To serve, arrange the chicken on a serving platter and spoon the sauce on top. Garnish with the fennel fronds.

　　Giada at Home by Giada De Laurentiis. Copyright © 2010 by Giada De Laurentiis. Published by the Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Giada De Laurentiis is the star of Food Network's Everyday Italian and Behind the Bash. She attended the Cordon Bleu in Paris, and then worked in a variety of Los Angeles restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck's Spago, before starting her own catering and private-chef company, GDL Foods. The granddaughter of movie producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada was born in Rome and grew up in Los Angeles, where she now lives.