While pasta primavera can all too often seem like it’s stuck in the ’80s, the best versions highlight fresh quickly cooked spring vegetables bathed in a creamy—not claggy—sauce. And it turns out the primavera treatment is equally delicious when you swap the pasta for golden brown chicken cutlets. Think of the pearl onions, asparagus, and peas in this recipe only as a template—primavera meansspringin Italian, so feel free to bring any and all of the season’s green vegetables into the mix. You can swap in fava beans, sugar snap peas, or even wild ramps. If you can’t find pearl onions (you want the frozen peeled ones), use chopped scallions or spring onions. One thing you really shouldn’t substitute here: the heavy cream. (Half-and-half will curdle when it mixes with the lemon juice in the pan sauce.) —Christian Reynoso
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What you’ll need
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Bamboozle 7-Piece Nesting Bowls
$80 At Amazon
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Meat Tenderizer
$18 At Amazon
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Large Skillet
$75 At Amazon
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Tongs
$21 At Amazon
Ingredients
Step 1
Whisk together½ cup all-purpose flour,1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt, and½ tsp. freshly ground black pepperin a medium bowl; set aside.
Step 2
Slice2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1½ lb. total), patted dry, on a cutting board in half lengthwise to create 4 cutlets. Working one at a time, gently pound each cutlet between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to about ½" thick. Transfer cutlets to reserved bowl of seasoned flour and toss to coat very well. Working one at a time, shake off excess flour and transfer cutlets to a plate.
Step 3
Heat¼ cup grapeseed or vegetable oilin a large skillet over medium-high. Add 2 cutlets to pan and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown underneath, about 3 minutes. Turn cutlets over and cook until golden brown on other sides, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a platter or plates and repeat with remaining 2 cutlets.
Step 4
Remove pan from heat and carefully wipe out with a paper towel to remove most of the excess oil and browned bits. Add remaining1 Tbsp. grapeseed or vegetable oilto pan and heat over medium. Add5 oz. frozen pearl onions or 1½ cups coarsely chopped scallions (pale green and white parts only)and5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions begin to turn translucent, about 4 minutes if using pearl onions or 2 minutes if using scallions. Add½ cup heavy cream,½ cup low-sodium chicken broth, and⅓ cup fresh lemon juice. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by a third, about 3 minutes.
Step 5
Add8 oz. asparagus, woody ends trimmed, thinly sliced on a diagonal, and1¼ cups shelled fresh peas (from about 1¼ lb. pods) or frozen peasand cook, stirring, until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Mix in1 tsp. Dijon mustardfollowed by¼ cup very coarsely chopped dill; season with salt.
Step 6
Spoon vegetables and sauce over cutlets. Season with more pepper and top withshaved Parmesan(if using) and remaining¼ cup very coarsely chopped dill.
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