This menu of Chicken Cutlets, Blanched Okra and Cornbread is a family favorite. My kids love to mix the batter for the cornbread and to roll the chicken in the breadcrumbs. By the time the food hits the table they feel like they have cooked the dinner and gobble it up.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Start to table: 1 hour
Serves: 4-5

Ready

Chicken

• 1 ½ lbs chicken breast or tenders (I recommend air chilled)
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups breadcrumbs or Japanese Panko crumbs
• A few pinches dried Italian parsley
• A few pinches dried basil
• 3 pinches and a dash parmesan cheese
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• 2 cloves of garlic, whole
• Olive oil, enough for a healthy coating of bottom of pan
• ½ Lemon (optional)

Cornbread

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup yellow corn meal
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 ¼ cups milk
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• ⅓ cups vegetable oil
• 3 Tbsp butter, melted

Okra

• ¾ lb fresh okra (I recommend picking the smallest ones as they are softer)
• Pinch of salt

Set

Chicken

• Bowl
• Large Plate with high sides
• Large frying pan
• Tongs
• Wet paper towels to clean little hands

Cornbread

• lightly oiled, well-seasoned 9” cast iron pan
• two medium mixing bowls
• measuring cup & spoons
• spatula
• whisk or fork

Okra

• Pot with water

Go

Prep the cornbread

1. Preheat oven and pan together to 350°F
2. Mix together flour, sugar corn meal, baking powder, and salt in bowl.
3. In second bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, vegetabel oil and butter.
4. Add flour mixture to milk mixture and stir just until blended.
5. Remove pan from oven and fill with batter.
6. Replace pan back into oven and bake for 35 minutes

The chicken

1. Break eggs into bowl and mix.
2. If you have chicken breasts, cut them into long strips about two inches wide.
3. Add chicken to eggs and let soak.
4. In a large plate mix breadcrumbs or panko, Italian parsley, basil, parmesan, salt and pepper. Mix well. Taste and adjust.
5. Remove chicken one piece at a time from egg mixture and while still wet roll in break crumbs. Tamp down so that the bread crumbs stick.
6. Coat the bottom of your pan with olive. Set over a medium high heat and add whole garlic cloves. Remove garlic and discard when they turn brown.
7. Fry chicken on both sides until golden brown. Add more oil as necessary.

Okra

1. While the chicken is cooking, bring a pot of water to boil.
2. Add a few pinches of salt. Wait until you have a strong boil.

Bring it all together

1. After 35 minutes have passed test the cornbread with a wooden toothpick. If it comes out clean remove the cornbread from the oven, if not return to the oven for five more minutes. When done, remove from oven and alllow to cool slightly.
2. When the chicken is done remove the browned cutlets to a serving plate. Drizzle with lemon juice.
3. Add okra to boiling water and blanch for two minutes.
4. Remove one with tongs, let cool and taste. You want the skin to still be firm – al dente –- so keep tasting till it’s done
5. Strain okra and serve with a pinch of salt or two.
6. Serve the cornbread, okra and chicken together and enjoy

What you should know

This is not a difficult menu and you should be able to pull this together in a hour or less. But if you are new to the kitchen you may want to try these recipes individually first to keep from getting overwhelmed. They can be found be clicking on:

My Chicken cutlets, Johns Across the creek corn bread my Blanched okra.

If you can’t find okra do not despair. You can substitute String Beans or Broccoli (both of which take a few minutes longer to blanch) or any veg that captures your attention.