This Chicken Piccata recipe shows how a few simple pantry staples can be combined quickly and easily into a delightful dish. Pounding a chicken breast until it is quite thin (scaloppini) is the trick for creating fork-tender meat that cooks in minutes. A pan sauce of lemon juice, white wine, and a touch of butter provides a delicious splash of flavor. Adding the briny capers is traditional, but I have left them optional.
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup lemon juice (1 large lemon)
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
11/2 tablespoons capers (optional)
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1/4 teaspoon fresh chopped Italian parsley
Instructions
1. Wrap the chicken breasts in plastic wrap and place on a cutting board. Gently pound each breast with a mallet to 1/8- to 1/4-inch thickness. Dredge the chicken with the flour.
2. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until well browned and barely cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover.
3. Pour the white wine, lemon juice, and chicken broth into the skillet, whisking the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the capers, if using. Whisk the sauce until slightly thickened.
4. Add the chicken back to the pan and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove the chicken and place on plates or a serving dish.
5. Swirl the butter into the remaining sauce. Pour the sauce over the chicken and top with the parsley.
Perfect Pairing: Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan is a terrific accompaniment for this dish.
Nutrition Information Per Serving: Calories 230 | Carbohydrate 8 g (Sugars 1g) | Total Fat 8 g (Sat Fat 3 g) | Protein 28 g | Fiber <1 g | Cholesterol 75 mg | Sodium 270 mg | Food Exchanges: 4 lean meat, 1/2 Starch | Carbohydrate Choices 1/2 | Weight Watcher Plus Point Comparison 5 | Smart Points 5
