Master Recipe
Baked Chicken Cutlets with Roasted Onions and Mushrooms
serves four
NOTE: Roasted
vegetables provide the moisture that keeps cutlets moist as they
bake. Roast the vegetables partway, add the chicken, and continue
baking until both the vegetables and chicken are done. Brining does
improve the flavor and texture of the chicken, but if you are short
on time, skip step 1 and add salt to the thyme
mixture.
3/4 cup kosher salt or 6 tablespoons table salt
3/4 cup sugar
4 boneless, skinless chicken cutlets (about 6 ounces each), fat trimmed and tendons removed (see figures 1 and 2); rinsed and thoroughly dried
2 medium onions, halved and sliced thin
10 ounces white button or cremini mushrooms, ends trimmed and sliced thin
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 medium garlic cloves, minced very fine
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. In gallon-sized, zipper-lock plastic bag, dissolve salt and sugar in 1 quart of water. Add chicken and seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible; refrigerate until fully seasoned, about 45 minutes. Remove from brine, rinse well, and dry thoroughly with paper towels.
2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine onions, mushrooms, oil, and salt and pepper to taste in 13 by 9-inch roasting pan. Roast, stirring once or twice, until onions begin to brown and mushrooms give off their juices, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine thyme, garlic, pepper, and salt (omit if chicken was brined) in small bowl. Rub chicken all over with herb mixture.
4. Transfer half of onions and mushrooms from roasting pan to bowl; spread remaining vegetables evenly over bottom of pan. Place chicken on top of onions and mushrooms and then cover with onions and mushrooms in bowl.
5. Roast until chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes, basting once or twice with pan juices. To check for doneness, cut into thickest part of one breast with small knife. If there is any hint of pink, return chicken to oven till done. Serve immediately.
VARIATIONS:
Baked Chicken Cutlets with Roasted Peppers and Onions
Follow master recipe, replacing mushrooms with 2 medium red, yellow, and/or orange bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick strips.
Baked Chicken Cutlets with Roasted Fennel and Tomatoes
Follow master recipe, replacing onions and mushrooms with 2 cups thinly sliced fennel (about 1 medium bulb) and 2 cups cored and chopped plum tomatoes (about 6 medium), and reducing roasting time in step 2 to 15 minutes. Proceed as directed, replacing thyme with 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves.
OVEN-STEAMED CHICKEN CUTLETS
Cooking en papillote is a classic French technique that involves oven-steaming fish, chicken, or vegetables in parchment paper packets. The food cooks in its own juices and stays especially moist. We tested parchment paper and heavy-duty aluminum foil packets and found no difference in the end results. Although parchment packets do look intriguing and are pretty enough to slice open at the table, foil is easier to find and work with and is our first choice.
Like baked cutlets, oven-steamed cutlets need a little liquid to keep them juicy. The liquid also becomes an instant sauce when the chicken is cooked. In our testing, we found that these recipes require no oil at all as long as liquid is added to the packets in the form of juicy vegetables and wine. In addition, heavy seasonings (don't stint on the salt and pepper) and the use of flavorful ingredients (especially garlic and herbs) are necessary to keep oven-steamed chicken from being too bland. No browning or caramelization can occur when chicken is cooked in foil packets, so bold seasonings are a must.
Brining makes a big difference in the quality of oven-steamed cutlets; they were much juicier and more flavorful than those which had not been brined. If not brining, we recommend using smaller cutlets to minimize cooking time, which will help keep the meat from drying out.
Since the chicken is actually cooking in its own juices (plus a little wine and vegetable juices), the packages must not be opened until the cooking is done. If opened too soon, the built-up steam is released and the chicken is not as moist when done. For this reason, bake the packets by weight—at least 20 minutes for cutlets that are six ounces or fewer and 25 minutes for cutlets that are particularly thick or weigh much more than six ounces each. When you bring the packets to the table, you can rest assured that they will be cooked through but still juicy.
This chicken is best eaten immediately after cooking. The meat emerges from the oven moist and tender, but as soon as it cools the texture begins to become drier and tougher. When preparing this recipe, it is critical to put a stop to cooking the moment the chicken is removed from the oven. To do so, open all packages immediately.