Chicken Piccata

Simple but tasty … Add wine when company is expected for a more sophisticated taste. This thinly sliced chicken, chicken piccata, is just so perfect … It becomes about the lemony buttery sauce. Enjoy a little twist with the bella mushrooms. We love it!!

Or try my Chicken Involtini for a truly smashing presentation. If you have chicken you may have all ingredients needed for this recipe because this dish has a list of optional stuffings … from sausage to prosciutto or pancetta to mild white cheeses to herbs, rosemary, sage, parsley, or basil, to pine nuts or capers, to vegetables, spinach or roasted red bell peppers even bread crumbs.

These are amazing dishes anytime!

Recipe 1: Chicken Piccata

1 1/2 Chicken breasts-butterfly (or pound to 1/4 inch thickness) and cut into serving size pieces
Salt, pepper & flour
1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 Pound bella mushrooms-sliced
2 Cloves garlic-minced
1/2 Cup water or white wine
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 Teaspoon capers
1 Lemon-sliced, seeds removed and ends discarded
Garnish-parsley

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium/high heat. Oil should not smoke.

Dredge the meat with flour then shake off excess. Salt and pepper to taste.

Brown meat quickly on both sides but not cooking through. Remove to a plate and cover loosely.

Add butter and mushrooms to drippings. Turn heat down as needed. Brown the mushrooms slightly.

Stir garlic into mushrooms. Add a light shake of salt. Heat through.

Add water or wine and lemon juice. Stir.

Add back chicken, and capers. Cover and simmer about 7 -10 minutes, not too long or chicken will dry.

Remove to platter and place lemon slices over chicken.

Garnish with parsley.

Note: If the sauce seems a bit thin remove chicken and simmer without lid for a minute or two. If too thick or lacking in volume add a bit more water. Stir and heat through.

Recipe 2: Chicken Involtini

4-5 thin slices of chicken breast-skinless and boneless (about one pound)-if they are not 1/4 inch thick but thicker place between waxed paper or parchment paper and use a rolling pin and roll or pound out
4-5 slices of pancetta
4-5 slices of mozzarella or other mild white cheese
2-3 tablespoons of butter
8 Ounces sliced mushrooms
1/4 Cup chopped parsley
1 large garlic clove-minced
1/2 Cup white wine
1 Cup chicken broth
1/3 Cup Heavy Cream
Toothpicks or string
Salt to taste-you may not need any if you use salted butter, salted broth, salt cured meat

Layer the pancetta and cheese over each piece of chicken. Then sprinkle each with the parsley and garlic.

In a skillet large enough to cook all the chicken sauté the mushrooms in 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Remove the mushrooms and layer over the parsley and garlic on the chicken.

Roll each chicken breast starting with narrowest length toward narrowest length (one end will be pointed, begin rolling with this) Toothpick or tie to hold.

Melt the remaining butter in the skillet used for the mushrooms. Brown the chicken for about ten minutes turning to brown all sides.

Add the wine after browning and scrape the skillet to remove browning particles. Cook until it is almost gone. Then add the broth. Simmer about ten minutes. This will evaporate and thicken. This cooking is done while the chicken remains in the skillet.

After the simmering add the heavy cream and cook without boiling for about 5 minutes or more. During this last step you can remove the chicken to add the cream and cook until the sauce has thickened. Then add the chicken back.