Chicken Piccata

Last Friday I was looking online for a simple chicken dish to make. I wanted some kind of chicken in wine sauce, and wanted to use what I had at home so I could just start cooking once I got home from work. I found some chicken piccata recipes but didn't have any chicken stock at home. Then I found Ina Garten's recipe and it was just what I was looking for. It doesn't even have capers (which was fine with me, even though I did have some at home) like most chicken piccata recipes. I made angel hair spaghetti and spinach to go with the chicken. It was delicious, I highly recommend trying it! The original recipe (and video) can be found on The Food Network.

A few notes on this: The recipe calls for one chicken breast split in two and pounded thin. I used two split chicken breasts and kept the rest of the recipe as is. I probably should have pounded the chicken a little thinner, because it took longer than 2 minutes to cook without it still being raw in the middle. That is the only thing I'll change the next time I make this.

A little lesson on where the word "piccata" comes from can be found here - just thought it was interesting!

Chicken Picatta

Recipe courtesy Ina Garten

2 split (1 whole) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 extra-large egg

½ Tablespoon water

¾ cup seasoned dry bread crumbs

Good olive oil

3 Tablepsoons unsalted butter at room temperature, divided

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons), lemon halves reserved

½ cup dry white wine

Sliced lemon, for serving

Chopped parsley leaves, for serving

Preheat oven to 400˚. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound out to ¼-inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

Mix the flour, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper in a shallow plate. In a second plate, beat the egg and ½ tablespoon of water together. Place the bread crumbs on a third plate. Dip each chicken breast first into the flour, shake off the excess, and then dip in the egg and bread crumb mixtures.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium to medium-low heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Place them on the sheet pan and allow them to bake for 5 to 10 minutes while you make the sauce.

For the sauce, wipe out the sauté pan with a dry paper towel. Over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and then add the lemon juice, wine, the reserved lemon halves, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Boil over high heat until reduced in half, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and swirl to combine. Discard the lemon halves and serve 1 chicken breast on each plate. Spoon on the sauce and serve with a slice of lemon and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

Makes 2 servings.

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