Yummy to My Tummy: Chicken Piccata

Today's recipe comes from my favorite cookbook, "Confessions of a Kitchen Diva" by Claudine Destino. For our family, I left out the capers since J is not a fan, but it made me a bit sad because I love capers. J also added that a bit less lemon juice might be an improvement, but he still ate two helpings, so it clearly wasn't a deal breaker. Even Jake & Mal gobbled up this dish. Enjoy!

Chicken Piccata

8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/3 C all-purpose flour
1 can (14 oz) low-sodium chicken broth
6 T butter or margarine, softened, divided
2 T all-purpose flour
4 T extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, pressed
2/3 C dry white wine
1/2 C lemon juice
1/8 tsp crushed red peppers
2 T capers
1/4 C chopped fresh parsley

Pound chicken breasts between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to 1/4-inch even thickness. Season with salt & pepper. Dredge breasts in 1/3-cup flour, shaking to remove excess. Set aside.

Bring chicken broth to a boil in a small saucepan. Lower heat to medium & simmer until reduced to 1/2 cup.

Stir 2 tablespoons butter with 2 tablespoons flour until smooth. Set aside to use in the sauce later.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken breasts in batches until golden, about 3-4 minutes per side using only as much oil as needed. Transfer chicken to a warmed dish; tent with foil to keep warm.

In the same skillet, saute garlic 1 minute. Add wine, lemon juice & reduced chicken broth & bring to a boil over medium-high heat, scraping up the browned bits in the bottom of the pan. Whisk in butter-flour mixture & continue simmering until sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat & stir in remaining butter, crushed red peppers, capers & parsley. Spoon sauce over chicken & serve immediately.

I served this over angel hair pasta. It's simple enough for a week night but looks & tastes fancy enough for company!