I have to confess as easy as this recipe is, I got a little bit stressed out. I think part of it was due to being very hangry (that is being angry out of hunger) and the fact that our kitchen is kind of small and I was running out of space. One thing that did help though is I prepped everything and got it ready before hand. Once you get started things start to move very quickly so you really don't have time to measure everything out and chop it up as you go. I had my heat up too high when I was cooking my chicken and the flour deposits in the pan started burning. Also I left my butter on the stove top so it could soften and it melted everywhere. I know, stupid right? So as I started cleaning up my mess and getting the black crap out of the pan, I got a little behind and my hanger intensified. I know it happens to the best of us. Besides my flaws this recipe wasn't too hard. I just let the hanger get the best of me this time. But dinner was a success and everything turned out ok in the end. Except for our poor kitchen which was a disaster zone...sorry Holli.
Chicken Piccata
Ingredients
2 large lemons
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts rinsed, dried thoroughly, and trimmed of excess fat.
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small shallot , minced (about 2 tablespoons) or 1 small garlic clove, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
1 cup chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons small capers , drained
3 tablespoons unsalted butter , softened
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
Directions
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, set large heatproof plate on rack, and heat oven to 200 degrees.
2. Halve one lemon pole to pole. Trim ends from one half and cut crosswise into slices 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick; set aside. Juice remaining half and whole lemon to obtain 1/4 cup juice; reserve.
3. Cut chicken breasts in half by placing the palm of your hand on top and cutting through the middle making two thinner breasts. Be careful not to cut yourself. Sprinkle both sides of cutlets generously with salt and pepper. Measure flour into pie tin or shallow baking dish. Working one cutlet at a time, coat with flour, and shake to remove excess.
4. Heat heavy-bottomed 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot, about 2 minutes; add 2 tablespoons oil and swirl pan to coat. Lay half of chicken pieces in skillet. Sauté cutlets, without moving them, until lightly browned on first side, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Turn cutlets and cook until second side is lightly browned, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes longer. Remove pan from heat and transfer cutlets to plate in oven. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to now-empty skillet and heat until shimmering. Add remaining chicken pieces and repeat.
5. Add shallot or garlic to now-empty skillet and return skillet to medium heat. Sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds for shallot or 10 seconds for garlic. Add stock and lemon slices, increase heat to high, and scrape skillet bottom with wooden spoon or spatula to loosen browned bits. Simmer until liquid reduces to about 1/3 cup, about 4 minutes. Add lemon juice and capers and simmer until sauce reduces again to 1/3 cup, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and swirl in butter until butter melts and thickens sauce; swirl in parsley. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve immediately.
