Chicken Russe

Mom clipped this recipe from the L.A. Times food section in 1964.  It was published in "Happy Cooking" the following year under her name, so it must have made the grade!  Back in the 60's chicken sold at the grocery store was not in pieces.  I can remember watching Mom cut up a whole chicken and being amazed at how easily she did it.  The first time I tried to do this myself I wasn't too successful and ended up hacking through the bones.  Chicken breasts are commonly sold today in "boneless/skinless" form, but it wasn't too long ago that you had to de-bone the breasts yourself or ask the butcher to do it.  It would be assumed that the chicken breasts used in this recipe were not de-boned, but I made them using boneless/skinless and they turned out just fine.

6 whole chicken breasts (12 pieces)
2 cups dairy sour cream
2 Tbls. lemon juice
2 tsp. salt
pinch of garlic powder
1/2 tsp. pepper
bread crumbs
1/2 c. butter

Place chicken breasts in heavy duty plastic bag.  Combine sour cream, lemon juice and seasonings.  Pour sour cream mixture over chicken.  Seal bag and place on a baking sheet.  Store in refrigerator overnight or for several hours.  Turn bag at intervals.  Remove chicken and coat with bread crumbs.  Heat butter in skillet and fry chicken until brown and tender (25 to 35 minutes.)   Serves 12.