Chicken Piccata

I love to serve this on a bed of arugula. Sometimes I replace the chicken with pork cutlets. YUM!

Serves 4

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Make ahead: Flatten the chicken breasts in advance and get all your prep ready to go to make this an easy to pull together meal.

Notes: Capers are the flower bud of a bush native to the Mediterranean and parts of Asia. The small buds are picked, sun-dried and then pickled in a vinegar brine. Capers range in size from the minute to the size of a cocktail olive.

4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
3 tablespoons butter, room temperature, divided
1 ½ tablespoons flour plus more as needed

2 tablespoons olive oil 

1/3 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (more or less to taste)
1/4 cup canned low-salt chicken broth
1/4 cup drained capers
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 

Place chicken breasts between 2 large sheets of plastic wrap. Using a meat pounder, lightly pound chicken to 1/4-inch thickness. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon butter with 1 1/2 tablespoons flour until smooth. Place additional flour in shallow baking dish. Dip chicken into flour to coat; shake off excess. 

Heat  oil in a large heavy skillet. Add chicken breasts and cook until golden and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to platter; tent with foil to keep warm.

In the same skillet, bring wine, lemon juice and broth to boil over medium-high heat. Whisk in butter-flour mixture and boil until sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in capers, parsley and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken and serve.

Copyright 2007:  Amy’s Table: Food for Family and Friends