Crunchy Cornmeal Chicken with Tomato, Avocado, and Arugula Salsa Recipe

Crunchy Cornmeal Chicken with Tomato, Avocado, and Arugula Salsa Recipe

  • 6 boned, skinned chicken breast halves
  • 3/4 pound firm-ripe Roma-type tomatoes, cored and chopped
  • 3/4 pound firm-ripe yellow or orange tomatoes, cored and chopped
  • 1 cup finely slivered arugula
  • 2 tablespoons Safeway SELECT Verdi Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Safeway SELECT Verdi Olive Oil
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 Safeway SELECT Organic Large Eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
  • 1/2 cup Safeway SELECT Verdi Grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 firm-ripe avocado
  1. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Place 1 chicken breast half between 2 sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap on a sturdy cutting board. With a heavy mallet, pound chicken until it is 1/3 to 1/4 inch thick. Repeat with remaining chicken. (If making ahead, cover and chill up to 4 hours.)
  2. Combine chopped tomatoes, arugula, vinegar, and olive oil; set aside at room temperature.
  3. Pour flour into a small, shallow bowl. In another bowl, beat eggs with 2 tablespoons water to blend. In a third bowl, stir together cornmeal, cheese, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Dredge each chicken breast half in flour to coat lightly. Next, dip in egg mixture, turning to coat; then dip in cornmeal mixture, turning to cover completely.
  4. Place chicken on a well-oiled charcoal grill above a solid bed of medium coals (you can hold your hand at grill level only 4 to 5 seconds), or over medium heat on a gas grill; cover gas grill. Cook chicken until undersides are browned, 3 to 5 minutes. With a spatula, turn the chicken over and cook until meat is no longer pink in center (cut to test), 4 to 6 minutes longer. (If you don't want to grill chicken, pour 1 tablespoon olive oil into a 12- to 14-inch nonstick frying pan. Add as many chicken breast halves as will fit in a single layer and cook over medium-high heat until undersides are browned, about 5 minutes. Turn chicken over and cook to brown other side. Transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat to brown remaining chicken. Once all the chicken has been pan-browned, transfer to a 400 degrees F oven and bake until meat is no longer pink in center (cut to test), 7 to 8 minutes.)
  5. While chicken cooks, peel, pit, and cut the avocado into small chunks. Stir avocado pieces into tomato mixture. Arrange chicken on a serving platter and top with tomato mixture. Add more salt to taste.