Chicken Piccata

Chicken Piccata

A bright and buttery Italian classic

Yield: 4

Ingredients:

CHICKEN AND PASTA
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 oz. canola oil
4 chicken cutlets, pounded to ¼-inch
thickness
12 oz. piccata sauce (see sub-recipe)
6 cups spinach
12 oz. spaghettini or spaghetti
salt, to taste
small pinch chopped parsley
4 Tbsp. capers
4 lemon halves, grilled
4 whole parsley sprigs, for garnish
1 lemon, quartered, for serving

PICCATA SAUCE
⅓ cup garlic oil
4 lemons, sliced into wheels
⅓ cup minced garlic
⅓ cup minced shallots
5⅔ cups chicken stock (Chef recommends 365 by Whole Foods Market, Organic Chicken Stock)
2 tsp. chili flakes
1 Tbsp. butter, chilled
6 oz. butter (for butter glaze)
1 cup water (for butter glaze)
½ tsp. Salt
juice of 1 lemon

CHICKEN BREADING
4 large eggs
⅓ cup milk
¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
½ tsp. chili flakes
¾ tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper

Method:

FOR PICCATA SAUCE
1. Heat half of the garlic oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or sauté pan.
2. Once hot, add the lemon wheels in a single layer. Let caramelize until golden brown on one side, then flip and caramelize the other side, about 2-3 minutes per side.
3. Once both sides of lemon wheels are browned, remove and set aside.
4. Add the rest of the garlic oil to the pan, then stir in the minced garlic and shallots. Cook gently over low heat, stirring often until they are soft and fragrant, but not browned, about 5-6 minutes.
5. Once softened, pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, and simmer until the wine has mostly evaporated, about 4-5 minutes.
6. Add the chicken stock and simmer for 8–10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly and begins to coat the back of a spoon. Stir in the chili flakes and lemon zest.
7. To make the butter glaze, in a separate saucepan, bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Add 1½ sticks of butter and stir until fully melted. Remove from heat and set aside.
8. Add the butter glaze, lemon juice, salt, and additional chilled butter to the pan with the piccata sauce and remove from heat. Set aside until ready to use.

FOR CHICKEN BREADING
1. Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth and fully combined.
2. Add the milk, parmesan, chili flakes, black pepper, and salt and whisk again until everything is well combined.
3. Combine all-purpose flour, ½ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. black pepper in a shallow dish for dredging.
4. Dredge the pounded chicken cutlets in the flour until they are lightly dusted and shake o any excess.
5. Dip each cutlet into the egg wash, coating it fully, and let any excess egg wash drip off.

FOR CHICKEN PICCATA
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the spaghettini and cook until al dente, according to the instructions on the package. Set aside until ready to use.
2. Heat olive oil and canola oil in a skillet over medium heat.
3. Add the breaded cutlets and cook for 2–3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and fully cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
4. Meanwhile, add half the piccata sauce to a pan over medium heat, add spinach and heat until it is wilted. Transfer the al dente pasta to the pan and gently toss to combine. Stir in a pinch of chopped parsley and gently toss again to coat. Season with salt to taste.
5. Reheat the remaining half of the piccata sauce, and once hot, fold in chopped parsley and capers.
6. Grill lemon halves cut-side down in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until caramelized, about 2–3 minutes.
7. To serve, place one cooked chicken cutlet on each plate and add a serving of pasta on the other side of the plate.
8. Spoon piccata sauce with capers over the chicken, garnish with chopped parsley, a grilled lemon half topped with a parsley sprig, and finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon over the chicken.

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