After a tiny bit of extra consideration and a helpful push from a reader (yes, of course it makes sense that a recipe is yours with even one change), may I proudly present my very own recipe for Chicken Piccata:
Sure, it might not look like much next to a simple salad and half of an onion roll (they were huge!), but do you know what that simple piece of chicken tastes like? It tastes like buttery, lemon-caper goodness. It also tastes like perfectly cooked chicken thanks to Sous Chef Scott. Mmm.
Now, keep in mind that we try to be at least somewhat health-conscious at our house. But we do mix in some unhealthy ingredients. I like to think that the key is moderation. When I use tons and tons of butter, it had better be for lots of servings of food or a holiday baked good or something. This falls into the first category. We fed 4 people with this recipe last night and had 3 substantial portions of leftovers.
4 boneless, skinless and boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half
Salt-n-peppa’
All-purpose flour, for dredging
8-10 tablespoons unsalted butter, depending on how committed you are to the whole butter aspect of the dish
5-6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup brined capers, rinsed and drainedDirections
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.
In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil. (You can use less if you’re concerned about the health factor of the dish, but you want to make sure you have enough butter/oil to cook the chicken without burning it.) When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate. Add butter and olive oil to the pan if necessary. Repeat the process of browning both sides of the new batch of chicken. Continue to repeat the process until you’re finished with all of the chicken pieces. I used two pans at a time to save some time. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.
Into the pan add the lemon juice, stock and capers. Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Return all chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. If your chicken doesn’t all fit on the bottom of the pan (read: immersed in the delicious sauce), it’s a good idea to rotate the bottom pieces to the top and the top to the bottom at least once in the 5-minute simmer. You want to make sure it’s all hot and saucy. Remove chicken to platter. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to sauce and whisk. Pour sauce over chicken.
Small, but valuable. 