Every week, Executive Food Editor Keith Dresser pairs each main dish with a side to give you a complete, satisfying dinner without the guesswork. Look for the game plan section to learn tips on how to streamline your kitchen work so dinner comes together quicker.
Dinner This Week: Almond-Crusted Chicken
This week’s menus include Almond-Crusted Chicken Cutlets with Lime and Chipotle, Grilled Fish Tacos, and Angel Hair Pasta with Kalamata Olive and Basil Sauce for dinner in about an hour
By Published July 13, 2022.
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Dinner 1: Almond-Crusted Chicken Cutlets and Napa Cabbage Slaw
Game Plan: Start by salting the chicken (step 1). While chicken sits, prep the ingredients for the slaw and complete step 1. Coat and bake the chicken (steps 2 and 3). While the chicken rests, toss the slaw.
To ensure that our Almond-Crusted Chicken Cutlets with Lime and Chipotle are juicy and flavorful, we pierce the chicken breasts with a fork, salt them, and let them rest before dredging them with a seasoned mixture of half almonds and half panko bread crumbs. To enhance the nutty taste, we toast the coating in browned butter. Napa Cabbage Slaw with Jicama and Pepitas offers a more tender, delicate texture and a sweeter flavor than traditional green cabbage slaw. To avoid a bland, watered-down slaw, we make a potent dressing with a high ratio of vinegar to oil. After tossing the cabbage with the dressing and letting it sit for about 5 minutes, moisture from the cabbage dilutes the dressing slightly, so the slaw reaches the perfect level of bright acidity.
Printable Shopping Lists: Almond-Crusted Chicken Cutlets and Napa Cabbage Slaw
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Dinner 2: Grilled Fish Tacos and Mexican Grilled Corn
Game Plan: Start by making the chile mixture for the fish. As the mixture cools, prep the remaining ingredients for the tacos and the corn. Marinate the fish (step 2). After 15 minutes, heat the grill. Grill the fish, pineapple, and jalapeños (step 4) followed by the corn. While the corn cooks, mix the salsa for the tacos. Grill the tortillas right before serving.
Grilled Fish Tacos start with meaty swordfish, which is easier to grill than flaky options like snapper and cod. A thick spice paste featuring ancho and chipotle chile powders, oregano, coriander, and citrus juice helps to develop deep, flavorful charring on the grill. A grilled pineapple salsa, creamy avocado, and crunchy iceberg lettuce completes the tacos. To achieve maximum browning on our Mexican-Style Grilled Corn without drying out the kernels, we quickly cook husked corn on a hot grill. A coating of chili powder and oil gives the corn spice and helps prevent sticking. A mixture of sour cream and mayonnaise is a good substitute for crema in the sauce used to coat the grilled corn.
Printable Shopping Lists: Grilled Fish Tacos and Mexican-Style Grilled Corn
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Dinner 3: Angel Hair Pasta with Kalamata Olive Sauce and Arugula Salad
Game Plan: Prep the ingredients for both dishes. Cook the pasta, then toss the salad right before serving.
Angel Hair Pasta with Kalamata Olive and Basil Sauce pairs perfectly al dente noodles with a bold, pesto-like sauce thinned with a generous amount of pasta cooking water. We top the pasta with basil and pine nuts to add flavor and contrasting textures. To eliminate excess moisture in Orange and Radish Salad with Arugula, we drain the oranges before tossing them with the greens. Lime juice forms the base of the dressing, but lemon juice or white wine vinegar will work equally well. Arugula provides a peppery bite.
Printable Shopping Lists: Angel Hair Pasta with Kalamata Olive Sauce and Arugula Salad
To view more quick weeknight dinner ideas, check out the rest of the Dinner This Week series.
- Dinner This Week: Grilled Tuna
- Dinner This Week: Pasta Frittata
- Dinner This Week: Grilled Pork Tenderloin
- Dinner This Week: Spaghetti Carbonara
- Dinner This Week: Seared Scallops
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