Lemon-Mint Chicken Cutlets on Watercress

The tang of lemon and the peppery punch of watercress make this a refreshing choice on a hot summer night. Another plus is that these thin cutlets will cook up in just a few minutes. For photo, see ♣.

PREP: 15 minutes GRILL: 4 to 5 minutes

MAKES: 4 main-dish servings

1 ¼ pounds thinly sliced skinless, boneless chicken breasts

2 lemons

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, plus more for garnish

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 bag (4 ounces) baby watercress

1. Heat ridged grill pan over medium-high heat (or prepare outdoor grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat).

2. Pound chicken to uniform ¼-inch thickness if necessary (see below).

3. From lemons, grate 1 tablespoon plus 1 ½ teaspoons peel and squeeze 3 tablespoons juice. In large bowl, mix lemon peel and juice, oil, 2 tablespoons mint, salt, and pepper until dressing is blended.

4. Reserve ¼ cup dressing. In large bowl, toss chicken cutlets with remaining dressing. Place chicken in grill pan and cook until juices run clear when breast is pierced with tip of knife, 4 to 5 minutes, turning over once.

5. To serve, toss watercress with reserved dressing and top with chicken. Sprinkle with additional chopped mint for garnish.

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EACH SERVING: About 225 calories, 34g protein, 2g carbohydrate, 9g total fat (1g saturated), 82mg cholesterol, 375mg sodium

THE GENTLE ART OF POUNDING

Here’s how to pound a chicken breast to a uniform thickness.

1. Place a skinless, boneless chicken breast half between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and place on a cutting board or work surface. The plastic wrap will protect the surface of the chicken and prevent the meat from sticking to the mallet and the cutting board—and it won’t rip as easily as waxed paper. The same 2 sheets of plastic wrap can be reused for remaining chicken breasts.

2. Use the smooth side of a metal or wood meat mallet. (The textured side is good for tough cuts of meat that need to be tenderized.) If you don’t have a meat mallet, you can use a sturdy rolling pin or the flat side of a heavy skillet. Gently strike the chicken breast until it has an even thickness, 128 to ¼ inch thick, depending on the recipe. It’s not necessary to strike the breast with a great deal of force; let the mallet do the work!