RECIPE: Chicken Piccata

This is a classic recipe that can be ready in minutes with a velvety tangy butter lemon sauce. It’s a perfect recipe to feed you and your family well on these busy holiday nights!

Serve with a side of your favorite veggie – mashed or roasted potatoes are a delicious accompaniment as well.

Ingredients:

Salt to taste

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or you can use chicken tenders too)

Juice of 1 – 2 large lemons to equal about 1/3 cup

Freshly ground pepper

All-purpose flour for dredging (approximately 1/2 cup)

3 – 4 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon capers, rinsed

1  tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions :

1. Cut each chicken breast into 2 equal pieces, slicing the meat horizontally across the breast.  If using chicken tenders, do not slice.

2. Place two sheets of plastic wrap on a large cutting board or other work surface, overlapping slightly, to make 1 wide sheet, and brush lightly with olive oil.

3. Place a piece of chicken in the middle of plastic sheet and brush lightly with oil. Cover the chicken with another wide layer of plastic wrap.

4. Working from the center to the outside, pound chicken breast with the flat side of a meat tenderizer until about 1/4 inch thick. If you don’t have a meat tenderizer, a rolling pin can also work – just be careful not to pound too hard and tear the meat! Repeat with the remaining chicken breast pieces and set aside on a plate.

5. Season pounded chicken breasts with salt and pepper on one side. Put the flour on a plate and dredge the pounded meat through it to lightly cover on both sides.

6. Turn oven on low and have an oven-proof plate or pan ready. Heat a wide, heavy skillet over high heat and add oil. When oil is hot, place as many pieces of the chicken in the pan as will fit without overlapping.

7. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes, until bottom of chicken pieces are browned in spots. Turn over and brown on other side, about 1 1/2 minutes, being careful not to overcook.

8. Transfer to oven-proof dish and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with rest of chicken pieces till done adding additional oil if necessary to keep from sticking.

9. Add broth and lemon juice to oil in pan and scrape over low heat. Add butter and capers, and stir with a wood spatula until sauce is smooth and velvety.  Adjust seasonings to taste.

10. Pour over chicken and garnish with chopped parsley.

Serve with a side of steamed green beans or other favorite veggie!

This post has been a contribution by Kristin Frost Albrecht on behalf of The Food Basket, Hawai’i Island’s Food Bank.