Chicken Piccata
wispfox asked me recently how I make chicken piccata. Which prompted this long-winded thing. I thought I'd post it in case anyone else wanted it (or I go long enough to forget what I'm doing).
The short answer is... there are multiple versions of the recipe depending on how lazy I'm feeling.
All the versions have pretty much the same ingredients:
~1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
Butter
oil (olive or something neutral)
All Purpose Flour (or cornstarch for the last version)
Salt
Pepper
Capers
1-2 lemons (one for juice and zest, one for garnish)
I almost never actually use the original recipe I have from matildalucet because there's a lot of steps, including pounding the chicken (yes, it becomes more tender, but it's a pain in the butt).
The middling amount of work version:
Slice the boneless chicken breasts horizontally to create thin cutlets. Dredge in AP flour with black pepper (optional salt), and shake off excess.
In hot skillet with a mixture of oil and butter, brown the chicken, but don't cook completely. Set chicken aside. (you'll probably have to do this in batches)
Add a spoonful of flour to the pan and stir so it browns evenly (just to take away the raw taste). You may have to add more butter at this point. You're making a roux.
Use hot water or broth to deglaze the pan, whisking the roux and fond into the the liquid and breaking up any lumps. (this is easier with hot liquid, cold liquid makes more lumps to begin with)
Add lemon juice (preferably fresh), lemon zest if you like, and then salt and pepper to taste.
Add 1 spoonful of capers; crush and/or chop 1 large spoonful of capers to release more flavor and add that too. Give it a stir and see if it looks like enough.
When the sauce looks good, add the chicken back to the pan, nestling it down into the sauce. Simmer on low until the chicken is cooked through.
Serve with fresh lemon (I like thin slices, but wedges also work).
I'm used to having this over rice, but pasta also works.
What I've been doing lately is another remove from the original recipe:
Chicken (boneless breast), diced or sliced thin as for stir-fry. Skip the flour, toss in the pan with oil and/or butter, grind some pepper over it.
When the chicken is mostly cooked, add lemon juice and as much water as is needed to achieve the amount of sauce you want. Add the capers and lemon zest as above.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
In a small dish or cup, mix a smallish spoonful of cornstarch with an approximately equal amount of cold water. Add the slurry to your pan and mix in thoroughly. Let the sauce bubble and stir until it thickens. Add more water or cornstarch mix to adjust the sauce to your desired consistency.
Serve as above.
Despite the way I've written this, you probably want to prep your lemons and capers before you turn on the stove.
I occasionally add in some sliced or minced garlic (fresh, not jarred), but this dish is really about the lemons and capers.
The short answer is... there are multiple versions of the recipe depending on how lazy I'm feeling.
All the versions have pretty much the same ingredients:
~1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
Butter
oil (olive or something neutral)
All Purpose Flour (or cornstarch for the last version)
Salt
Pepper
Capers
1-2 lemons (one for juice and zest, one for garnish)
I almost never actually use the original recipe I have from matildalucet because there's a lot of steps, including pounding the chicken (yes, it becomes more tender, but it's a pain in the butt).
The middling amount of work version:
Slice the boneless chicken breasts horizontally to create thin cutlets. Dredge in AP flour with black pepper (optional salt), and shake off excess.
In hot skillet with a mixture of oil and butter, brown the chicken, but don't cook completely. Set chicken aside. (you'll probably have to do this in batches)
Add a spoonful of flour to the pan and stir so it browns evenly (just to take away the raw taste). You may have to add more butter at this point. You're making a roux.
Use hot water or broth to deglaze the pan, whisking the roux and fond into the the liquid and breaking up any lumps. (this is easier with hot liquid, cold liquid makes more lumps to begin with)
Add lemon juice (preferably fresh), lemon zest if you like, and then salt and pepper to taste.
Add 1 spoonful of capers; crush and/or chop 1 large spoonful of capers to release more flavor and add that too. Give it a stir and see if it looks like enough.
When the sauce looks good, add the chicken back to the pan, nestling it down into the sauce. Simmer on low until the chicken is cooked through.
Serve with fresh lemon (I like thin slices, but wedges also work).
I'm used to having this over rice, but pasta also works.
What I've been doing lately is another remove from the original recipe:
Chicken (boneless breast), diced or sliced thin as for stir-fry. Skip the flour, toss in the pan with oil and/or butter, grind some pepper over it.
When the chicken is mostly cooked, add lemon juice and as much water as is needed to achieve the amount of sauce you want. Add the capers and lemon zest as above.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
In a small dish or cup, mix a smallish spoonful of cornstarch with an approximately equal amount of cold water. Add the slurry to your pan and mix in thoroughly. Let the sauce bubble and stir until it thickens. Add more water or cornstarch mix to adjust the sauce to your desired consistency.
Serve as above.
Despite the way I've written this, you probably want to prep your lemons and capers before you turn on the stove.
I occasionally add in some sliced or minced garlic (fresh, not jarred), but this dish is really about the lemons and capers.