Here we top pecan-crusted turkey cutlets with a mildly spicy grilled peach salsa. It’s better to prepare your own turkey cutlets from a whole tenderloin than buy them precut. The precut ones often vary in size and shape, leading to different cooking times. You can also use 4 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts in place of the turkey tenderloin.

Makes 4 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 1 hour

TOTAL TIME: 1 1/4 hours

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

1 pound turkey tenderloin, cut crosswise into 4 equal portions
2 cups nonfat buttermilk
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
Grilled Peach Salsa (recipe follows)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 large egg whites
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs, preferably whole-wheat (see Tip)
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided

1. Place one portion of turkey at a time between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet or heavy skillet until flattened to an even thickness, slightly thicker than 1/4 inch.
2. Pour buttermilk in a large sealable plastic bag. Add salt and sugar; seal and shake to dissolve. Add the turkey and seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible; refrigerate to marinate for 30 minutes (but no longer or it may be too salty).
3. Meanwhile, prepare Grilled Peach Salsa.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet.
5. Remove the cutlets from the marinade (discard marinade) and thoroughly dry with paper towels. Combine flour, paprika and pepper in a shallow dish. Beat egg whites and mustard in a second shallow dish. Combine breadcrumbs and pecans in a third shallow dish. Dredge each cutlet in the flour mixture, shaking off excess. Then, dip both sides in the egg mixture, allowing excess to drip back into the dish to ensure a very thin coating. Then, dredge both sides in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing the crumbs onto each piece to evenly coat.
6. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place 2 cutlets gently in the pan without crowding; cook until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to the wire rack on the baking sheet. Wipe out the pan and repeat with the remaining oil and cutlets, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent burning. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a cutlet registers 165°F, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve the cutlets with the peach salsa.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 474 calories; 22 g fat (2 g sat, 11 g mono); 45 mg cholesterol; 40 g carbohydrate; 37 g protein; 6 g fiber; 390 mg sodium; 368 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (25% daily value), Iron (15% dv).
2 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1 fruit, 4 lean meat, 3 fat

TIP: To make fresh breadcrumbs: Trim crusts from whole-wheat bread. Tear bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. One slice of bread makes about 1/2 cup fresh crumbs.

RELATED RECIPES: Grilled Peach Salsa