Monday, August 8, 2011

Lemon Chicken Picatta



This was, as my husband put it, "the best meal I ever made." It was on our plates for less than 5 minutes. Jack's too- he loved it. I got this recipe from my cute neighbor, but only changed a couple of things.

Lemon Chicken Picatta

3 Large Boneless Chicken Breast Halves, cut into medallions
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 C. flour
2 T. vegetable oil, (more as needed)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 C. Chicken Broth
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
1/3 C. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 T. capers, drained
3 T. butter
2 T. minced italian flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 200 degrees, and place a serving platter inside to keep warm.

Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour. Shake off excess flour. Heat a skillet with the oil in it and pan-fry the chicken pieces till slightly golden. (A few minutes on each side.) Do not crowd skillet, work in batches if needed. Place the browned chicken into the warm platter and keep in oven to hold heat. Drain most of the oil in the skillet leaving a thin layer, you will be using this same skillet to make your sauce.

-Cut and stir in the minced garlic in the skillet, till fragrant.
-Carefully- pour in chicken broth and stir in lemon slices. Scrape down any brown bits that may be on the side of the pan.
-Let sauce come to a boil, then reduce heat slightly and cook till it reduces to about 2/3-1 Cup, then add the lemon juice and capers.
-Let it cook till it thickens slightly, about 5 min more. Then add the butter and swirl it in letting it melt slowly.
-Once incorporated, remove from heat then add parsley and stir it in completely.

Pull your chicken out of the oven, then pour all the sauce over* and slightly toss the chicken till the sauce is evenly distributed. Serve immediately.

*(if serving with noodles, after pouring sauce over chicken, leave the pan with a coating of the sauce, add a tablespoon more of butter, and toss the cooked noodles in the pan. Serve chicken over noodles.)

We were all left wanting more...