Basil and Panko Crusted Chicken with Angry Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs...why on earth would I choose to use what is considered to be such a lesser cut of meat to a chicken breast? Well it could be that the thigh, being dark meat from a flightless bird that spends its life wandering the ground looking for food, has more flavor. Maybe it is for the low cost that you can get a boneless chicken thigh compared to a boneless chicken breast. It very well could be that due to the size of a chicken thigh, it would be easier to control the portions and therefore our food intake.

While all three could be very good reasons to use the thigh, none of them are the reason I chose to use it here. The absolute honest truth is that, as stated before, I hate to waste food. When I buy chicken, I prefer to buy a whole chicken and break it down myself. It really only takes a few minutes, and there is a significant cost savings. For example, if I were to buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts at my local store, I would pay around $3.00 per pound. When I buy a whole chicken, I spend around $1.00 - $1.25 a pound. So I save a little money, and I have enough chicken for a few meals.

This also has to be good for the environment as well in some way. What!?!   
I care about that kind of stuff. No, I really do. Stop looking at me like that.

You can actually use any cut of the chicken you like for this dish. Give the chicken thigh a chance though. By pounding it thin you are making it more tender, and you will be rewarded with a much deeper, richer flavor that the thigh delivers. It does not matter what part of the chicken you use.  As long as it's pounded to ¼ inch thick, it will cook up the same.

I served the pasta and the chicken together, but the recipes are listed independently because they can be cooked and served on their own. The chicken goes great with vegetables, and the pasta is a nice, fast meal all on its own.

Basil and Panko Crusted Chicken Thighs

4 ea Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
2 ea Eggs
2 tbsp Water
1 cup Panko
½ cup All Purpose Flour
3 tbsp Kosher Salt
1 tbsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
3 tbsp Dried Basil
2 tbsp Dried Parsley
Olive Oil or Cooking Oil

1 Using the flat side of a meat tenderizer, pound the boneless Chicken Thighs until they are ¼ inch thick.

2 Crack the Eggs into a bowl, and stir in the Water.

3 In a separate bowl, mix together Panko, Flour, Salt, Pepper, Basil and Parsley.

4 Dip each Chicken Thigh in the Egg mixture and then into the Panko breading mixture, ensuring the Chicken is completely coated.

5 Allow the coated Chicken to sit for 5 minutes so the breading can set.

6 Heat a pan over Medium to Medium High heat (be careful not to overheat the pan if you are using Olive Oil).

7 Add enough Olive Oil or Cooking Oil to coat the bottom of the pan ⅛ inch deep.

8 Once the Olive Oil is hot, carefully place breaded Chicken in the Oil. Do not crowd the pan. Cook in batches if needed.

9 Cook for 2 minutes or until golden brown, then turn over.

10 Cook for an additional 2 minutes until the other side is golden brown as well.

11 Remove the Chicken from the pan, and set aside until ready to serve. If cooking in batches, adjust the level of your oil and reheat it before cooking each batch.


Angry Sun-dried Tomato and Garlic Pasta

A nice addition to this would be toss in some fresh basil just before serving. It will give a bright flavor to the pasta as well as some additional color.

1 lb Angel Hair Pasta
¼ cup Olive Oil
4 ea Garlic Clove, sliced
½ tsp Crushed Red Pepper
6 oz Sun-dried Tomato, sliced thin
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste
¼ cup Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated

1 Cook Angel Hair Pasta according to manufacturer's direction and set aside.

2 In an unheated large pan, add Olive Oil, Garlic, Sun-dried Tomato and Crushed Red Pepper.

3 Place the pan over Medium High heat, stirring occasionally.

4 When the Garlic begins to brown around the edges, add the Pasta and toss.

5 When the Pasta is well coated and heated through, remove from heat.

6 Place in serving bowls and top with fresh grated Parmesan.

Enjoy!