Ingredients
4 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus more for marinating the chicken
Juice of 2 lemons, divided
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
Salt and pepper
2 pounds large Brussels sprouts (about 2 pints)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and grated or pasted, plus 1 clove, crushed
About 1 1/2 teaspoons anchovy paste
About 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Grated Pecorino Romano cheese
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
A handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped
Directions
Marinate the chicken in enough EVOO to coat, the juice of 1 lemon, thyme, salt and pepper. Marinate about 30 minutes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Using a small, sharp knife, core the Brussels sprouts and separate their leaves. Salt the water and add all of the leaves to the pot – you should have at least 6 cups, loosely packed. Count to 30, then drain and cold shock the leaves; drain again. Heat a grill pan and grill the chicken for about 12 minutes, turning occasionally. Combine the juice of remaining lemon, the grated or pasted garlic, anchovy paste, Worcestershire sauce, lots of black pepper and about 1/4 cup of EVOO in a bowl and whisk to make the dressing. Add a small handful of cheese once the dressing is emulsified. (I add a beaten egg yolk to our dressing with the lemon juice, but there is a food safety risk with this addition, of course.) Heat the butter in small skillet with the crushed garlic over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and toast to golden brown. Add the parsley and remove the garlic.
Toss the Brussels greens with the dressing. Serve on plates topped with sliced grilled chicken, more cheese and the buttery breadcrumbs.