Chicken Piccata

When I first made chicken piccata a couple years ago, Nate was not impressed. Usually he will at least eat a good portion of whatever I am making for dinner, even if he does not care for it, but he could not even stomach two bites that night. I thought I liked chicken piccata, but even I was a bit turned off to it after that. Looking back now, I realize it was the capers that ruined my piccata that night. I had never cooked with capers before, so I just sort of dumped them into the sauce, juice and all. So when I saw this recipe in Barefoot Contessa: At Home, I was thrilled that it did not include capers! I realize I could have just made any recipe and just ommited the capers, but the fact that this is an Ina Garten recipe means that I would most likely enjoy it! We had this with lemon-garlic green beans.

Chicken Piccata

• 2 split (1 whole) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 extra-large egg
• 1/2 tablespoon water
• 3/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
• Good olive oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons), lemon halves reserved
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• Sliced lemon, for serving
• Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound out to 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

Mix the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a shallow plate. In a second plate, beat the egg and 1/2 tablespoon of water together. Place the bread crumbs on a third plate. Dip each chicken breast first in 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 saute 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 saute 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, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 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.

Source: Barefoot Contessa: At Home.

You may also like:

• Chicken Piccata Pasta Toss
• Baked Chicken Breasts with Parmesan Garlic Crust
• Chicken Francaise

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Tagged as: chicken, lemon