Chicken Piccata

Chicken Piccata is one of my favorite dishes to order from a good Italian menu. Southern Living provides a great recipe for this classic chicken-lemon-caper dish.  This is an excellent recipe for Veal Piccata as well.



When I can't find thinner-cut breast cutlets, I halve a chicken breast half to make a thinner cutlet. Pound the chicken breast cutlets between 2 sheets of plastic wrap.  Pound to a thickness of 1/4 inch


Prepare the flour, seasoning with the salt and pepper, and lightly beating an white for dredging

Squeeze your lemon juice. This is the primary flavor and ingredient in the sauce.

You will also need some thinly sliced lemon rounds.


 

Chicken Piccata is not Chicken Piccata without these briny little flower buds.  I love capers and I prefer the smaller-sized ones. 

Measure your oil and butter for cooking the chicken, as well as butter for the sauce.



Roughly chop the parsley for the sauce.
 

After dredging in the egg white and flour, brown the chicken, two cutlets at a time. Once the first two cutlets are done, transfer to a plate and wipe the skillet clean. Repeat with the 2 more Tbsp. butter and the remaining olive oil and remaining 2 cutlets.

Transfer the final two cutlets to the holding plate.  After the last two cutlets, don't wipe out the skillet.
 

Add the chicken broth, lemon juice and capers to the skillet and bring to a boil over high heat.  Scrape up the fond on the bottom of the skillet. Add the lemon slices to the sauce. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer, whisking occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.  Whisk in parsley.

Spoon sauce over chicken, and serve immediately. I served the chicken with pasta and spinach soufflé

Chicken Piccata
Adapted from Southern Living Magazine
Serves 4 

Ingredients:
4 (5 to 6 ounces) boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets (or 2 breast halves, sliced to make 2 thinner cutlets)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsps. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
6 Tbsp. salted butter, divided
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. brined capers, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Mise en Place:

• flatten chicken cutlets
• prepare flour seasoned with the salt & pepper and egg white in dredging dishes
• measure butter and olive oil for divided uses
• measure chicken broth
• squeeze fresh lemon juice
• slice some thin slices of lemon
• drain and rinse capers
• chop parsley

Method:
Place each chicken cutlet between two sheets of plastic wrap and flatten to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin.  Dip each cutlet in the egg white and dredge in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess.

Melt 2 Tbsp. butter with 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 cutlets and cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate. Wipe skillet clean and repeat process with 2 Tbsp. butter and remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil and remaining 2 cutlets.  Move the cutlets to the holding plate. discard drippings but do not wipe skillet clean.

Add chicken broth, lemon juice, and capers to skillet. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring and scraping bottom of skillet to loosen the browned bits (fond). add thin lemon slices. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes.  Whisk in remaining 2 Tbsp. butter. Whisk in parsley. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve immediately with pasta. 

Lemon Spaghetti

This is a wonderfully light and bright dish to make as a side or an entreé.  Most of the time Lovey and I make this as an entreé and serve with a grilled chicken breast or poached fish.

It is so simple and easy to throw together and although it only takes minutes to prepare you can still make the sauce ahead of time, set in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours so all you have to do at dinner time is boil your water for the pasta.



Ingredients are few.  You have spaghetti (naturally), grated fresh Parmesan Reggiano, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. 



Simply throw the olive oil, lemon juice, Parmesan, and salt and pepper into a large enough mixing bowl to easily toss a pound of cooked spaghetti.  Set that aside.

When I think of it I'll toss one of the juiced lemon halves and a basil stem into the salted water.  


 

Drain and pour into mixing bowl that has the sauce.  Sprinkle with the lemon zest.  At this point you may also add chopped basil if you choose to use.  Toss to coat the spaghetti and season to taste, if needed. Add some of the reserved cooking liquid from the spaghetti at this point.

 

If this is going to be the main dish you can serve as is...



or top the spaghetti with the sliced grilled chicken breast...



or poached cod.


Lemon Spaghetti
Adapted from Everyday Italian by Giada de Laurentiis
Serves 4 as a main dish or 6 as a side dish

Ingredients:
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
3/4 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 pound dried spaghetti
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil (optional)
1 Tbsp. grated lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)

Mise en Place:

• grate Parmesan
• grate zest from lemons
• squeeze juice from lemons
• chop or chiffonade the basil if using

Method:
In a large mixing bowl mix together the Parmesan, olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper.  Whisk together and set aside.  NOTE:  If you make this sauce ahead of time mix in a smaller bowl, cover with plastic wrap then store in refrigerator for up to 8 hours.  Bring the sauce to room temperature before using.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.  Add the spaghetti and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes.

Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the spaghetti to the bowl lemon sauce, toss with the lemon zest (and basil if you are using). Toss the pasta with enough of the reserved cooking liquid, 1/4 cup at a time, to moisten.

Season with additional salt and pepper if desired. Transfer to bowls and serve.

Serving Options: Top with sliced, grilled chicken breast or poached or sauteéd fish such as salmon or cod.