Pressure Cooker Parmesan Chicken Packet

from Pressure Perfect, by Lorna Sass

If you've been on the lookout for a healthy version of fast food, consider this approach. Top a chicken breast cutlet with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese, and wrap it in an aluminum foil packet. The cutlet steams in the confines of the packet, and remains juicy and flavorful. This recipe is for a single chicken packet, but you can cook as many as will fit in your cooker. Use either heavy-duty aluminum foil or two layers of standard foil to avoid rips and leaks. Packets can be assembled in advance and frozen.

For each packet:

4 to 6-ounce chicken breast cutlet

3 to 4 tablespoon Five-Minute Tomato Sauce (see Blog) or other good-quality tomato sauce

2 slices mozzarella cheese

1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

If any portion of the cutlet is thicker than 1/2 inch, place it on a flat surface, cover with plastic wrap, and pound to flatten to 1/2 inch or less.

Tear off a 1 1/2-foot-long sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil (or two layers of standard foil). Spoon 1 tablespoon of the sauce in the center and position the cutlet on top of the sauce so that its length is parallel to the cut sides of the foil.

Cover the top of the cutlet with the mozzarella slices, spoon remaining sauce on top, then sprinkle with parmesan.

To make the packet, bring together the two cut ends of the foil and fold them over a few times to seal, leaving some air space above the cutlet. Fold both ends of the packet several times to seal. With the tip of a paring knife, poke a 1-inch steam vent in the top of the pack, just beneath the top fold. This is important!

Pour 1 1/2 cups water into the cooker. Set the packet, folded side up, directly in the water.

Lock the lid in place. Over high heat bring to high pressure. Reduce the heat just enough to maintain high pressure and cook for 9 minutes (15 minutes if cutlets are frozen). Turn off the heat. Quick-release the pressure.

Use tongs to remove the packet from the cooker and transfer contents to a plate.

You can cook 4 packets in a 6-quart cooker. Place the second packet next to the first, directly in water. (It may be necessary to squeeze them in a little to fit.) Set additional layers at right angles to the layer below. (Avoid stacking packets directly on top of each other.) Timing remains same no matter how many packet you are cooking at once.