Foodie Fridays: Chicken Piccata

From Perdue

Chicken Piccata is my sister's favorite chicken dish.  It is very similar to my favorite Chicken Marsala, which I featured last week.  The difference is the sauce, which is a butter sauce seasoned with lemon, white wine, capers, and parsley that gives the chicken a deliciously tart and tangy flavor.  Once again the recipe is quick and easy to make and great for casual meals or entertaining.  For a great lesson on how to make Chicken Piccata, and to see how easy it is to prepare, just watch this video.  But please, don't blame me if you suddenly become very hungry!

Chicken Piccata

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 C. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 T. olive oil
1 T. capers
1/2 C. white wine
1/4 C. lemon juice
1/4 C. water
3 T. butter
2 T. minced fresh parsley

Pound the chicken breasts to 1/2-inch thickness between two sheets of plastic wrap.  Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a pie plate.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Dredge the chicken in the seasoned flour.  Place in the skillet, reduce heat to medium, and cook the chicken until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.  Remove from the skillet and keep warm.

Add the capers to the skillet and lightly crush about half of them to release their flavor.  Cook for about 30 seconds, then stir in the wine.  Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon.  Cook until reduced by half, about 2 minutes.  Add the lemon juice, water, and butter, then stir continuously until a thick sauce forms, about 2 minutes.  Reduce the heat to low and stir in the parsley.  Return the chicken to the skillet and heat through for about 1-2 minutes.  Serve over rice or pasta with the sauce spooned over the top.  Serves 4.