Preparing Scaloppine

Many chicken recipes use boneless chicken breasts cut into thin cutlets called scaloppine. The cutlets are pounded to an even thickness, for even cooking, and sautéed. The scaloppine may simply be floured, which aids in browning and helps to thicken the pan sauce (see Piccata di Pollo con Fettuccine all’Uovo). Or the cutlets may be breaded (impanare) with a coating of flour, egg, and breadcrumbs. Breading adds texture and flavor and helps seal in moisture; a very thin piece of meat can easily dry out during cooking (see Petto di Pollo Impanato con Insalata di Pomodori e Rucola). Toasted flour (see “Toasting Flour”) is sometimes used in the breading to ensure that the raw taste of the flour is cooked out.