Panko-Crusted Chicken with Mustard-Maple Pan Sauce

Sorry for the brief hiatus yall. We were out of town and forgot to set up posts to go up while we were gone. Anyways, I know this dish might not look the prettiest - but, I promise you, it tasted really good. I found this recipe in October's issue of Bon Appetit.

The sauce makes this chicken. I found that the coating on the chicken didn't stay on very well - when I went to flip the chicken, sheets (albeit small sheets) of the panko coating came off. But back to the sauce, the sauce is tangy and has a bit of a kick from the dijon and whole grain mustards. But the syrup (I actually used lite pancake syrup instead of maple syrup) gives a hint of rich sweetness in every bite.

I also like that it says to serve the sauce along side the chicken, instead of on top of the chicken. This preserves the crunchiness of the panko crust.

The recipe was so easy. It said 30 minutes, and unlike some recipes that claim to be 30 minutes but for normal everyday cooks, that turns out to be like 50 minutes, this one really only took me 30 minutes. And, that was including making the potatoes that served along side this dish.

Panko-Crusted Chicken with Mustard-Maple Pan Sauce

2 8-ounce skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise in half (or fancy thin cut breasts)
1 large egg
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup low-salt chicken broth
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon coarse-grained mustard
1 tablespoon chilled unsalted butter

Using meat mallet or rolling pin, pound chicken in resealable plastic bag to 1/3- to 1/2-inch thickness. Whisk egg, parsley, and 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard in large bowl. Place chicken in egg mixture; turn to coat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Dip each chicken piece in panko; turn to coat.

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook until brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, whisk broth, syrup, coarse-grained mustard, and remaining 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard in glass measuring cup.

Transfer chicken to plates. Add broth mixture to skillet; boil until reduced to 3/4 cup, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Add butter; whisk until melted. Spoon sauce alongside chicken.