Spicy French Chicken

Ingredients:

• 4 firm pieces of skinless, boneless chicken breast
• About 1 cup of flour
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 3 tbsp. milk
• 3 tablespoons Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup olive or other vegetable oil
• 2 lemons
• 3 tablespoons of butter
• 2 large cloves garlic, 1 crushed or chopped, 1 cut in half
• About 3/4 cup white wine
• 1 tbsp Calabrian chili paste, harissa, or Sriracha sauce
• About 1.5 cups chicken broth
• A handful of parsley, for serving
• 1 loaf of ciabatta, 30-35 cm long, cut in half
• Sea salt flakes, for sprinkling
• 1 large bunch of arugula, washed

Preparation:

1. Gather all the ingredients and a plastic board to pound the chicken. Cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally and butterfly them. Pound the chicken with a mallet to ensure even thickness. Season with salt and black pepper.
2. Prepare the breading area: Place flour in a shallow bowl; whisk together eggs, mustard, milk, salt, black pepper, and cheese; heat vegetable oil in a large skillet (4-5 turns of the pan); prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper and placing a chicken rack on top.
3. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Dredge the chicken, 2 pieces at a time, in flour, shaking off any excess, then dip in egg. Fry the chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side. Fry the remaining chicken cutlets in the same manner, removing them to the grill when done. Once the chicken is done, slice and lightly toast one lemon; transfer it to the baking sheet with the chicken.
4. Wipe out the pan, return to the heat, and add the butter. When it foams, add 1 clove of crushed garlic, the juice of 1 lemon, the wine, and the chili paste and simmer for about 3 minutes. Add the stock and simmer for another 5 minutes. Chop the parsley.
5. Toast the bread over a gas burner or under the broiler in the oven. Rub the bread with garlic halves, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with flaky sea salt, and cut into slices.
6. Place the chicken in the sauce and cook for 3-4 minutes, turning the chops occasionally. Add lemon slices and pour the sauce over them. Sprinkle with parsley and arrange among plates. Serve the chops with a small handful of arugula leaves and toasted bread for dipping.