- 6 slices bacon
- 4 8-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper
- Flour, for dredging
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup fine breadcrumbs
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (a couple of handfuls)
- 2 tablespoons thyme, chopped
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Olive oil, for shallow frying
- 1 cup Greek-style yogurt or sour cream
- Juice of 1 lemon (3-4 tablespoons)
- 1 clover garlic, grated
- 1 teaspoon light flavored honey or agave syrup
- Sriracha, to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped or 2 teaspoons dried dill
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons chives, finely chopped or 2 scallions, whites and greens finely chopped
- Bibb lettuce or leaf lettuce
- 3-4 medium tomatoes, sliced
Pre-heat the oven to 375ºF.
Arrange the bacon on slotted broiler pan. Bake the bacon until crispy; remove and reserve. Reduce the oven heat to 275ºF. Arrange a metal cooling rack inside a rimmed baking sheet and place in the oven to warm.
Slice each chicken breast into thirds on a bias. Pound each slice into a thin medallion. Season all of the medallions of chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Coat the chicken in flour, shaking off the excess, then in the beaten eggs, then turn to coat evenly in a mixture of breadcrumbs, panko and cheese seasoned with thyme and lemon zest.
Heat about a quarter inch of oil in very large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Fry the chicken in batches so as not to crowd the pan. Cook until deeply golden, 2-3 minutes on each side; transfer them to the warming rack in oven to keep crisp.
Combine the yogurt or sour cream with lemon juice, garlic, honey or agave, hot sauce, herbs, salt and pepper, to taste.
Assemble the clubs by layering a cutlet, some special sauce, criss-crossed bacon strips, lettuce, sliced tomato, another cutlet, more sauce, bacon, lettuce, tomato and a cutlet to top.