Master Recipe
Oven-Steamed Chicken Cutlets with Tomatoes and Herbs
serves four
NOTE: This
technique for oven-steaming cutlets is similar to that used for
baking them. There are just a few changes. White wine replaces the
olive oil and everything—the chicken, vegetables, and seasonings—is
enclosed in foil packets before
baking.
3/4 cup kosher salt or 6 tablespoons table salt
3/4 cup sugar
4 boneless, skinless chicken cutlets (about 6 ounces each), trimmed and tendons removed (see figures 1 and 2); rinsed and thoroughly dried
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
2 medium garlic cloves, minced very fine
Salt and ground black pepper
2 cups cored and chopped fresh plum tomatoes or drained and chopped canned tomatoes
1/4 cup white wine
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 parsley, cayenne, garlic, pepper, and salt (omit if chicken was brined) in small bowl. Rub chicken all over with herb mixture.
3. Cut 4 pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil about 12 inches square. Arrange portion of tomatoes in center of each piece of foil. Top with one chicken breast. Drizzle 1 tablespoon wine over each breast and fold foil to make packets (see figures 10 through 12).
4. Put foil packets on rimmed baking sheet and bake 20 to 25 minutes. Open packets, taking care to keep steam away from your hands and face. Transfer contents of packets to individual plates and serve immediately.
VARIATION:
You can adapt any of the baked cutlet recipes for oven steaming as follows: Rub chicken with seasonings. Place all vegetables on foil, but omit oil. Top with chicken and drizzle with 1 tablespoon wine. Wrap all ingredients in foil packets and bake as directed in step 4, above. (There's no need to roast vegetables separately.)