Crispy Breaded Chicken Breasts with Fontina Mornay Sauce

So simple, but so elegant and flavorful. The fontina mornay sauce is simply a cheese sauce. Fontina is a soft cow’s milk Italian cheese that is creamy, mild, and similar to Gruyere or Havarti in flavor.

The chicken breast is basically a ”schnitzel”…easy and quick to make.

You can serve this juicy, crispy chicken breast over or along side pasta or rice. We chose to forgo the starch and go with steamed veggies.

Ingredients:

For the chicken breasts:

• 2 (8 ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• Paprika
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups plain bread crumbs
• Canola oil for frying
• Chopped parsley

For the Fontina Mornay sauce:

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup cream or half and half
• 5 ounces shredded fontina cheese
• 3 tbsp grated parmesan
• Kosher salt and black pepper

Directions:

• Trim any excess fat from the chicken breasts. Butterfly the thick part then cover with plastic and pound with a flat meat mallet until 3/8 inch thick. Season with salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder to taste. Set aside.

For the fontina mornay sauce:

• Heat a small saucepan over medium low heat and add the butter. When the butter has melted, add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the stock then whisk in the cream. Let it come to a simmer and begin to thicken. Add the shredded fontina and the grated parmesan and stir until it melts, about 1-2 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm.

For the chicken:

• Bread the chicken breasts: Set up a 3 bowl breading station. Coat with the flour and shake off the excess. Dip in the egg wash. Then coat thoroughly in the bread crumbs, turning a pressing several times.
• Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add about 3/4 inch of canola oil. When the oil has reached 360 degrees add the breasts without crowding and fry until golden brown on the first side, about 2 1/2 minutes. Turn and cook until the internal temperature is 165 degrees, another 1 1/2 minutes depending on how thick the breasts are. Drain on papers towels, season lightly with salt, then place on a wire rack over a sheet pan in a warm oven.
• To serve, slice into 1/2 inch slices and spread out on a plate. Spoon over some of the mornay sauce and garnish with chopped parsley.
• Serve over or next to pasta or rice if desired.