- 4 chicken cutlets (about 4 ounces each)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup whole-wheat pastry flour
- Scant 1 cup quinoa flakes
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning blend
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning blend
- 1 large egg
- 1 to 2 tablespoons coconut or safflower oil, for frying
- Cilantro Pesto (recipe follows)
- 1 large bunch (4 ounces) cilantro, thoroughly rinsed and drained
- ½ cup raw pumpkin seeds
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ to 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1/3 cup pitted Spanish olives
- 1½ teaspoons brine from olives
- Season the cutlets well on both sides with salt and pepper.
- On one plate, scatter the flour. On another plate, blend the quinoa flakes, Italian seasoning, and Cajun seasoning. Beat the egg in a wide, shallow bowl.
- Dredge each cutlet on both sides in the flour. Shake off any excess and then coat both sides with egg. Finally, fully coat both sides with the quinoa mixture, taking care to cover empty spots by pressing the quinoa flakes into place. Gently shake off any loose coating.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a heavy 12-inch skillet. Fry the cutlets until lightly browned and crusty on the first side, 1½ to 2 minutes. Flip and brown second side, 1 to 2 minutes. Add more oil if needed. If the cutlets are not cooked through and the coating threatens to burn, turn off the heat, cover, and let sit in the residual heat until done.
- Cut the bunch of cilantro in half crosswise. Place the cilantro stems and leaves in bowl of food processor. Add the pumpkin seeds and garlic, and pulse to chop. With the motor running, pour in the oil and process to create a paste.
- Add the lime juice, salt, chili powder, olives, and olive brine. Pulse a few times to coarsely chop the olives. The pesto can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Serve at room temperature.
- To serve, place a dollop of pesto on top of each cutlet and serve extra pesto in a bowl at the table.