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Chicken Piccata is a relatively simple, yet delicious, dish that combines some of Southern Italy's most bountiful local products: lemons, capers, olive oil, and white wine. While not actually an ""Italian"" dish (it originated in the United States during the 1930's), chicken piccata provides the chef with an introduction to a multitude of regional Sicilian flavors.
Piccata, in Italian, translates directly to ""larded"" - but, in culinary circles, has come to denote a cut of meat or fish that has been thinly cut, sautéed, and smothered in a sauce of butter and lemon. Therefore, the first step in the preparation of chicken piccata involves slicing, or butterflying, boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
Before beginning the butterflying process, make sure to trim all fat from the chicken breasts. Then, lay the chicken flat on a cutting board and slice it in half sideways - holding the knife blade parallel to the cutting board.
This will produce two thinner halves of a chicken breast, which can then be tenderized. To tenderize, place a piece of aluminum foil or plastic wrap over the chicken (to prevent splattering) and pound the chicken with the back of a large kitchen knife. (For this step, you can pretty much use any heavy object - I've even used an ice cream scoop before.) Tenderize the chicken until the pieces are no more than a 1/2 inches thick.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together one egg, 1/4 cup of milk, and one tsp black pepper. Concurrently, combine three cups flour, 1 1/2 tbsp black pepper, and 1/2 tbsp salt in a shallow baking dish. Dip the tenderized chicken breasts in the milk and egg mixture, and then coat all sides with the prepared flour. To fry the chicken, combine four tbsp of butter and three tbsp of extra virgin olive oil in a shallow saucepan, and heat on medium-high. After the butter has melted, test the temperature in the pan by dropping a pinch of flour; if its sizzles and bubbles up, the oil is hot enough to fry the chicken. Add breaded chicken breasts to the pan, and fry for approximately three minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside for later use. (If you plan to fry more chicken in the same pan, drain the oil/butter, scrape out the breading scraps, and add fresh butter and olive oil to the pan.)
Drain most of the oil and butter out of the pan, leaving the breading scraps in the bottom for flavor and texture in the lemon, wine and caper sauce. Turn heat to medium and add 1/2 cup dry white wine to deglaze the pan.
Using a wooden spoon, scrape the breading off of the pan and mix in well with the wine. Once the breading dissolves, add the juice of one fresh lemon and three tbsp of capers to the pan and stir. To thicken the sauce (if desired), stir in 1/2 tbsp of flour. Make sure to taste the sauce and adjust the flavors according to your personal tastes (the flavor of fresh lemons, as well as that of white wine and capers, varies greatly).
Add the chicken back to the pan, and turn the stove to low so that the chicken can simmer in the sauce. While the chicken simmers, prepare the grain mixture and asparagus. For the asparagus, break off the dry butt-ends, rinse under cold water, and stand up in a pot containing approximately two inches of boiling water. Turn the burner to medium-low and allow the asparagus to steam for about seven minutes. (Seven minutes is an estimate, so occasionally check with a fork to determine doneness; it should retain a little crunch when ready.)
I use a mixture of grains called ""Harvest Grain Blend"" from Trader Joe's Market. You can also use just about any other type of pasta or rice (couscous and rice pilaf are two of my favorites). I follow the directions on the bag for the mix (takes about ten minutes to cook) but add a tbsp of dry chicken bouillon for extra flavor.
Now you are ready to plate the food. Spread approximately one cup of grain mixture on the plate, and top with a chicken breast and a slice of lemon. Pour any remaining sauce over the rice and chicken. Lay the asparagus next to the rice and chicken and top with a drizzle of melted butter, a squeeze of fresh lemon, a pinch of salt and a dash of black pepper.
All you need now is a couple of good friends to share the meal with (and perhaps a glass of white wine or sangria). Enjoy!
Shopping List
Chicken Piccata
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 tbsp salted butter
1/2 cup dry white wine
Juice of one fresh lemon
1 1/2 tbsp capers, brined in vinegar or wine
Black Pepper
Salt
Carbohydrate
1 package Harvest Grain Blend (from Trader Joe's)
2 tbsp salted butter
1/2 tbsp chicken bouillon
Vegetable
1 bunch asparagus
Butter to taste
Fresh lemon to taste
