Reprinted with permission from Pass The Plate: 100 Delicious, Highly Shareable, Everyday Recipes: A Cookbook by Carolina Gelen. Copyright © 2024 by Gelen Media LLC. Photographs copyright © 2024 by Nico Schinco. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.

Serves 4 to 6 | Prep time: 40 minutes, plus 20 minutes chilling | Cook time: 15 minutes | Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Marinate the chicken: Use a paper towel to pat dry the chicken breasts. Cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise to create 2 thin cutlets. Slice each chicken cutlet in half, at an angle, widthwise (see Note). Place a few chicken pieces in a zip-seal plastic bag. Place the bag on a cutting board and use a rolling pin to pound each cutlet to about ¼ inch thick. Set the pounded cutlets on a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining cutlets.

In a small bowl, combine the kosher salt, pepper, the crumbled chicken stock cube (if using), and the cayenne. Sprinkle the mixture all over both sides of the cutlets. If using hot sauce, drizzle it over the cutlets. Marinate the chicken at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes, or up to 8 hours in the fridge.

Make the caramelized lemon gremolata: Gently scrub the Meyer lemons under warm running water. Using a sharp knife, cut both ends off 2 lemons. (You’ll use the ends later.) Slice the lemons as thinly as you can manage, about ¹⁄8 inch thick.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Carefully add about half of the lemon slices to the pan and let them sear, mostly undisturbed, until amber and caramelized, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a pair of tongs, carefully flip the lemon slices and sear again. The second side won’t take quite as long, maybe 3 or 5 minutes, but be sure to keep a close eye as the natural sugars can burn quite quickly. Return the seared lemon slices to the cutting board. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet and repeat with the remaining half of the lemon slices. Transfer the seared slices to the board.

Note: This recipe won’t yield huge, butterflied schnitzels. The cutting method is an ode to my mother’s way of stretching the chicken breast to as many servings as possible. I will always remember the pile of small schnitzels waiting for us on the dinner table.

Far from a fussy chef or unrealistic food influencer, Carolina learned to cook at home with a family who loved food but could rarely go out to eat. Taking that passion to the next level, she worked in restaurants and translated her skills into a successful full-time recipe developer who cultivated an online community of millions who love her recipes.