Veal or Chicken Piccata Recipe

By John W

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast filets, about 4 oz. each
• 1 medium sweet onion finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 4 Tbl olive oil
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 5 Tbl butter
• 2 lemons
• 2 Tbsp capers
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup chicken stock or broth
• 2 Tbsp Italian parsley, finely chopped
• Kosher salt to taste

Preparation

Step 1

Squeeze the juice out of one of the lemons and set the juice aside. From the other lemon, slice four very thin slices from the center (the widest part), and set those aside, too.

Stretch a piece of plastic wrap across your work surface, place the chicken breast filets on it, and lay another piece of plastic wrap on top. Then, using a meat mallet, rolling pin or similar object, flatten the chicken breasts between the layers of plastic wrap until they are about ¼ inch thick.

In a shallow baking dish or even a plate, combine the flour and salt.

Heat a heavy-bottomed sauté pan over medium-high heat for a minute, then add 2 Tbl olive oil and heat for another 30 seconds or so. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and sauté until the onion is slightly translucent, about 3 minutes. Remove the onion and garlic from the pan and set them aside.
Add 2 Tbl butter to the pan and let it heat until it turns foamy.

Now dredge both sides of the chicken breast filets in the flour mixture, shake off any excess flour and add them, one at a time, to the hot pan.
Cook 1 to 2 minutes per side until they are nicely browned. Remove them from the pan and set aside on a plate, covered with foil, while you make the sauce.

Add the stock and wine to the pan and scrape off any flavorful bits from the bottom of the pan. Then return the onion-garlic mixture to the pan and heat it until it bubbles. Add lemon juice and reduce slightly

Return the chicken to the pan, bring the liquid to a boil, then lower it to a simmer and cook for about 3 minutes or until the mixture has reduced by about one-third. Add the capers then finish with 3 Tbl cold butter
Add the chopped parsley just at the end of the cooking.

Remove the chicken breasts, plate them and sauce generously.