Paleo “Breaded” Cutlets? Go Nuts!

Nuts are Paleo.  In moderation, that is.  And peanuts are not nuts.  As long as one balances out the high Omega 6 content found in all nuts with great sources of Omega 3s like fish oil, a little bit of nuts here and there are an acceptable part of Paleo.

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, here’s a use for them you may not have thought of: in place of breadcrumbs or flour that you may traditionally have used in a ‘battered-then-fried’ approach.

Take the ubiquitous chicken cutlet,for example.

You’ll find many recipes from all regions around the world calling for a cutlet dredged in flour or breadcrumbs as the first step in many a preparation method, from chicken saltimbocca to to chicken parmesan to chicken stir fry.

Ditch the flour and bring in the nuts!

Place nuts in a grinder and whiz until they reach a fine consistency.  Pour them onto a plate and add a little freshly ground pepper and your favorite (salt free) dried spices.

Crack open a fresh egg or two into another plate and stir with a fork.

Pound your cutlets with a tenderizer tool, then dip first in the egg, and then in the nuts.

Then, bake, broil or saute, depending on what recipe you’re following or what dish you’re making and rest assured you’ll have a completely Paleo friendly prep, which will allow you to enjoy the meal without risk of the terrible side effects you’d experience, had you ingested that nasty little toxin (gluten)!

This technique is not just for poultry.  Use it with grass fed flank, wild salmon or virtually any protein.