Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken and Marinade
- 300 g chicken breast cutlets, pounded to an even 1cm thickness
- 45 g mayonnaise
- 60 ml chimichurri sauce
- 3 g kosher salt
Cooking
- 15 ml olive oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
In a mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, 30ml of the chimichurri sauce, and the kosher salt. Add the chicken cutlets and toss until they are evenly coated. Let marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Allow the pan to get hot but not smoking.
Using tongs, transfer the chicken to the skillet, letting any excess marinade drip off slightly. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until a deeply browned crust forms and the internal temperature reaches 74 degrees Celsius (165 degrees Fahrenheit).
Remove the chicken from the skillet and transfer to a cutting board. Let the meat rest undisturbed for 3 to 5 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute.
Transfer the rested chicken cutlets to serving plates. Drizzle the remaining 30ml of fresh chimichurri sauce evenly over the top.
Chef's Notes
- Mayonnaise is a highly functional marinade base. Because it is an emulsion of fat and liquid, it clings perfectly to proteins, locking in moisture and encouraging a fast, even Maillard reaction (browning) when seared.
- If slicing your own cutlets from whole chicken breasts, always pound them gently between two sheets of parchment paper to achieve a uniform thickness. This ensures they cook evenly and rapidly without drying out.
- Do not skip the resting phase. Cutting into the chicken immediately after pulling it from the pan will cause the internal juices to flood the cutting board instead of staying in the meat.
- Store-bought chimichurri works well here, but if making your own, ensure the herbs are finely minced rather than purred in a blender, which can make the sauce muddy and bitter.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze cooked cutlets tightly wrapped; texture of the chimichurri drizzle may degrade slightly upon thawing.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat or microwave at 50 percent power to prevent drying out the chicken.
