Baked Asian-influenced chicken cutlets atop Napa cabbage with pickled onions, sweet Mandarin oranges and Chili Aioli – a tasty and spicy treat.
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Servings: 8-10
- Difficulty: Medium
Ingredients:
- 1 pound Chicken breast cutlets (or a large breast butterflied then cut into 5” strips)
- 1 Medium Red Onion sliced into half moons
- 1/2 head Napa Cabbage, core removed; shredded
- 16 Mandarin Orange segments, pith removed
- 16 Mini Corn Tortillas (4” in diameter)
- 1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs (Japanese-style crunchy bread crumbs)
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha Chili Sauce or Asian Chili Paste / Sauce (or to taste)
- 1/2 Cup Mayo (or Greek Yogurt for a healthier alternative)
- Juice and Zest from one Lime
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons Rice or Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Agave Nectar or Honey
- Egg Mix (2 Eggs, lightly beaten with 1/2 cup cold water)
- 1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped + more for garnish
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated Garlic
- 1/2 Teaspoon White Pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons + 1 dash Kosher or Sea Salt
Directions:
Make the Pickled Onions: Place 1 cup of the vinegar (reserve the rest to dress the cabbage), the agave or honey, a teaspoon salt into a medium metallic or glass bowl and stir until dissolved. Drop in the onion and toss to coat, make sure the onions are completely covered; add a bit more vinegar if not. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
Make the Aioli: Put the mayo, lime juice & zest, Sriracha, cilantro, a dash of salt & pepper, into a small bowl, stir to combine, cover and set aside.
Place one oven rack in the top position, the other in the middle and Pre-Heat to 375
Make the Breading: Pour the Panko, white pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt and garlic into a pie dish or small baking dish and stir to combine. Pour the egg mix into a similar sized dish next to the bread crumb mixture.
Exactly 10 minutes before you’re ready to bake the chicken, wrap the tortillas in foil (2 separate stacks of 8) and place side-by-side on the top rack of the oven.
Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel, then place each strip, one at a time, into the egg mix, throughly coat, then dredge in the bread crumbs, covering completely (press down to make sure it sticks), then place on an oven-safe rack atop a baking sheet (line the baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy clean up). Repeat with the remaining chicken, being sure they aren’t too close to each other on the rack.
Put in the oven for 8-10 minutes, until they become almost crispy. (Taking into consideration the tortillas have already been in the oven for about 10 minutes.)
Meanwhile, put the cabbage into a medium bowl and toss with a teaspoon or so of the vinegar and dash of salt. Do not do in advance or the cabbage will become wilted.
Remove the tortillas and chicken from the oven and crank the oven to 500 or to Broil.
Arrange the tortillas on a platter in 8 groups of two (one on top of the other). Spread a teaspoon of Chili Aioli on each, then top with equal parts of the dressed cabbage.
Put the chicken under the broiler or on the bottom rack of the oven and let crisp for 1-2 minutes. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn.
To serve, place a chicken strip atop the cabbage of each tortilla, top with some pickled onions, place an orange segment on either side of the chicken, then drizzle a teaspoon of the Aioli and garnish with a sprinkle of cilantro.
For those that like it really spicy, put a couple or three dashes of Sriracha over the Aioli!
