Breast of Chicken in a Light Lemon-Herb Sauce



6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 5 oz. each)
1/2 cup fine, dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbs. chopped fresh Italian parsley
1-1/2 tsp. dried oregano, preferably the Sicilian or Greek type dried on the branch, crumbled
Salt
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock or canned reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. crushed hot red pepper
4 cloves garlic, peeled

1. Cut each chicken breast half in half crosswise on a diagonal, to yield 2 pieces of roughly equal size. Place 2 pieces at a time between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Pound gently with the flat side of a meat mallet or the bottom of a small, heavy saucepan to flatten them slightly, to about 1/2-inch thick.
2. Toss the bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of the chopped parsley, 1/2 teaspoon of the oregano, and salt to taste together in a bowl until blended. Spread 1 teaspoon of bread crumb mixture over each piece of chicken, reserving the remaining crumbs. Roll each chicken piece into a compact shape, with the bread crumbs running in a spiral through the center, and fasten securely with a toothpick. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.
3. Arrange the filled chicken breasts side by side in a 13-by-9-inch, preferably flameproof, baking dish. (There should be some space between the pieces of chicken.) Stir the wine, stock, lemon juice, hot pepper, the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, the remaining teaspoon of oregano, and salt to taste together in a small bowl. Pour into the baking dish. Whack the garlic cloves with a flat side of a knife and scatter them among the chicken pieces. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
4. Top the chicken with the remaining bread crumb mixture. Return to the oven and bake until the bread crumb topping is golden brown, about 5 minutes.
5. If the roasting pan is flameproof, place it directly over medium-high heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons parsley and bring the pan juices to a boil. Boil until lightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. (If the roasting pan is not flameproof, transfer the chicken rolls to a warm platter and pour the juices into a skillet before bringing them to a boil.)
6. Remove the garlic cloves, or leave them in if you like. Gently transfer the chicken pieces to plates with a slotted spoon. Pull the toothpicks from the chicken without loosening the bread crumb topping. Pour the sauce around, not over, the chicken pieces, and serve immediately.

Servings: 6

Recipe courtesy Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen