Chicken Piccata with Lemon and Capers

Chicken Piccata. Lemon. Capers. Chicken. Yum.

TRUTH: I was all ready to post about this yesterday...until I realized I pretty much only had one good picture from the last time I made it. Does that ever happen you? You're all excited to share something with someone, and then...poof! Nothing. TRUTH TWO: I may also have left my camera on the last time I used it, which in turn lead to a late dinner so that I could charge the battery in order to take the new photos... Luckily, this recipe only takes about 30 minutes!

A quick and easy recipe to add to your weeknight cooking is never a bad thing. Especially when it turns out as delicious as this one. Light and tasty, the flavors of lemon and capers transport me to Italy and the Mediterranean. White wine is a requirement. I recommend a chilled glass of Chardonnay to accompany this tangy chicken dish. As you can see from the above pictures, the presentation of this dish lends itself to both a standard weeknight dinner (1st picture served with skillet new potatoes and diced red onions), or special occasion (2nd picture served with celariac puree and steamed carrots). Both delicious. Both requiring similar amounts of time.

Get together the ingredients. There isn't anything too fancy involved here. A nice dry smooth oaky (I could go on, but I'll spare you...) Chardonnay will do the trick. Feel free to use cooking wine if you prefer, however, know that the 1/2 C wine is boiled down so much that the alcohol in it is burned off. However, the flavor it brings is worth opening that bottle if you're on the fence.

A note about shallots: In the past, I have had difficulty finding them. Usually they are located close to the garlic and onions, sometimes in a mesh bag, sometimes in a small bin. If you can't find them, the flavor profile is basically a mix of red onion and garlic. Substitute 1/4 C red onion + 1 clove minced garlic for a similar taste if you have trouble tracking them down.

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light

CHICKEN PICCATA WITH LEMON AND CAPERS | Yield: 4 servings | Total Time: 30 min.

INGREDIENTS:

4-5 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 1/2 - 2 lbs.)
1/2 C all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 Tbsp butter, divided
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1/4 C finely chopped shallots
4 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 C dry white wine (I prefer Chardonnay)
1 C low-sodium chicken broth, divided
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp drained capers
3 Tbsp coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

DIRECTIONS:

Layer chicken in between two sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap or waxed paper, and use a meat mallet to pound to 1/2-inch thickness. Place 1 tsp flour in a small bowl, and the rest in a shallow dish. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour in shallow dish; shake off excess.

Melt 1 Tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp oil; swirl to coat. Add chicken; saute 4-5 minutes on each side, or until done. Remove chicken to a warmed plate and tent with foil.

Heat remaining oil in pan. Add shallots and saute 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently until slightly browned. Add garlic, saute 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add wine; bring to a boil, scrape pan to loosen browned bits. Cook until most wine evaporates,  add 3/4 C broth, and boil until reduced by half.

Meanwhile, add 1/4 C broth to reserved 1 tsp flour. Whisk until combined. Add to skillet and cook 2-3 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp butter, 3 tsp lemon juice, and 2 Tbsp capers.

Spoon sauce over chicken and sprinkle with parsley to serve.

Do you make any Mediterranean inspired dishes? I'd love to hear about them!