"The best dinner EVER!

That's how my picky 8 year old described this meal, something I made a few weeks ago. The Barefoot Contessa recipe for parmesan chicken sticks, along with buttermilk mashed potatoes and sauted peas and carrots.

He even watched me making them and was surprised to see how flour, eggs and breadcrumbs could turn into something so tasty. The science of it fascinated him enough that he said he'd actually like to make these with me sometime. (Course when I do try and get that help, he will likely have forgotten and be unwilling to help.)

Oh well, at least that night I know he ate well.

Parmesan Chicken Sticks (I skipped the stick part)
From The Barefoot Contessa Family Style

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts (3-4)
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 extra-large eggs
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
unsalted butter
good olive oil
optional Bamboo skewers or ice cream sticks

Lay the chicken breasts on a cutting board and slice each diagonally into four or five large strips.

Combine the flour, slat and pepper on a dinner plate. Beat the eggs with i tablespoon of water on a second plate. Combine the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese on a third plate. Dredge the chicken breasts on both sides in the flour mixture, then dip both sides into the egg mixtgure and roll in the bread crumb mixture, pressing lightly to coat.

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan and cook the chicken strips on medium low heat for about 3 minutes on each side, until just cooked through. Don't crowd the pan. Add more butter and oil and cook the rest of the chicken breasts. Optional Serve each strip on a skewer or stick.

You can keep the chicken breasts warm for about 15 minutes on a sheet pan in a 200 degree oven.