The calendar says May, but I'm not sure if Mother Nature has gotten the memo yet. Sure, some days it's sunny and sitting on the edge of warm, but I think it's been one of the chilliest, cloudy, wet springs we've had in a while; and the WIND! Oy vey!
I made the comment the other day waking up every morning to more clouds and gloom can really start to mess with your mood. My complaint must have been heard because the next day I woke up to sunshine, thank goodness. Mama needs her Vitamin D!
All I can say is I hope with the arrival of this new month, the weather starts to get her act together and over the next 4 weeks we can truly start to believe summer is coming.
But until then, it's still spring, and to me the official flavor of springtime is lemon. It is so bright, so refreshing- it is exactly what we need to wake up our taste buds!
One of my favorite chicken dishes to order out is Chicken Piccata, so it was about time I made it at home. With its simple sauce made of butter, lemon and another favorite of mine, capers, every bite is a burst of flavor in your mouth.
Let's talk about the chicken you're going to use. Look for "thin cut" chicken breasts to make this extra easy on yourself. You will need 8 pieces total, depending on the size. You want a decent portion of chicken for each plate of pasta, sometimes that's one large one, or a couple smaller ones. (This recipe makes 4 plates!) I wasn't lucky enough to find the thin ones, so I bought a pack of 4 large breasts, split them open like a book, sliced into 2 pieces, laid them between layers of plastic wrap, and pounded them thin with a meat tenderizer.
While not hard, it is a little time consuming, so if you can find the thin cut ones, half the work is already done for you! Lucky!
If you've never used capers, I always tell people they are like a tiny olive. It's the only way I can think to describe them to someone who has never tasted them. They are briny, salty and delicious! They pair perfectly with the lemon too!
If you are looking for a spring inspired meal or maybe you want to treat mom to something special next weekend, Chicken Piccata would be perfect! Make it now before the summer weather is finally here, and we are all grilling out as much as we can!
Chicken Piccata
4 boneless chicken breasts, split and pounded thin OR 8 thin cut
4 TBS olive oil
Juice and zest of 1 lemon, then sliced
1/2 cup + 1 1/2 TBS flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
4 TBS butter
1 (3 oz.) jar capers, drained
1 TBS dried parsley
cooked linguine pasta
salt and pepper
Cook pasta according to package directions. Combine 1/2 cup flour, lemon zest, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Dredge each piece of chicken and shake off excess. Heat 2 TBS oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Sauté chicken in batches until brown on both sides, about 4-5 minutes. Add extra oil as needed. Remove from skillet and cover to keep warm. In same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add remaining flour, whisking constantly until smooth. Cook 1-2 minutes. Gradually add 1 cup broth, whisking constantly. Add lemon juice and remaining broth. Continue to cook on medium or medium low, whisking until slightly thickened. Add capers and chicken back to sauce. Spoon sauce over chicken, add lemon slices and simmer 5-7 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Drain pasta. Serve chicken and sauce over pasta, garnished with parsley.
Shared at Weekend Potluck
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