This recipe comes from chef Alexandra Raij who based it on a Spanish dish called flamenquines, a dish where chicken breasts are stuffed with a delicious mix of ham & cheese before being rolled up, egg coated, bread crumbed and fried. Her recipe mostly sticks to this lead, but rather than pounding the chicken breasts & rolling them with the stuffing, thin cutlets of chicken are used and the stuffing is layered between them, sealed together with an egg mixture. The chicken is then fried to a delicious golden hue, making this dish both crunchy and greaseless. The crumbs help to protect the delicate meat from overcooking.

Ingredients

• 6 skinless chicken cutlets, boneless (about 1 ¼ pounds in total)
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 2 egg whites (large)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
• 2 teaspoons garlic (minced)
• Dijon mustard
• 1 ½ ounces provolone cheese, thinly sliced (1 1/2 slices)
• 1 ½ ounces ham, thinly sliced (1 1/2 slices)
• 3 tablespoons sauerkraut, packed, more for serving
• ⅜ teaspoon caraway seeds
• 2 cups plain bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (extra virgin), for frying

Preparation

1. Lightly season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a bowl, whisk the egg whites, cornstarch, parsley and garlic until there are no lumps, and the mixture has a slight foam. Set aside.
2. On one side of each chicken cutlet brush with mustard. Divide the cheese & ham amongst the 3 cutlets, placing on the mustard-brushed side. Top each with a tablespoon of sauerkraut, and an 1/8th of the caraway seeds. Place the remaining 3 cutlets mustard-side down on top of the sauerkraut, sandwiching the ham and cheese. Press firmly to seal.
3. Dip the now stuffed cutlets in the egg white mixture, and thoroughly dredge in bread crumbs. This can be done in advance, and refrigerated until required.
4. Heat oil on a medium-high heat in a large skillet. Place the cutlets in the hot pan carefully, and fry until they’re golden brown and cooked through (approximately 2-3 minutes a side). Once cooked, transfer to a plate lined with paper-towel to drain. Serve with a side of sauerkraut, and eat hot!