Chicken Piccata - Ina Garten- week 21 of 52

This week's recipe was a recommendation from a co-worker in the US. I was visiting our head office in Connecticut last week and one of my US co-workers suggested I make the chicken piccata from Barefoot Contessa’s cookbook. A great suggestion!

Chicken piccata is a Italian dish made of tenderized chicken breasts which are breaded and pan-fried. The chicken is accompanied by a lemon, butter & white wine sauce.

This has got to be one of my new favourites – it is easy, elegant & delicious – very much the Barefoot Contessa style! Don't worry about the sauce being to "lemoney" - the wine & butter help cut down on the tartness. I will definitely be making this one again.

Bonne appétit!

Next week will be the last of the Barefoot Contessa chef series. A decadent dessert will be the feature.


Chicken Piccata

Ingredients
$$
• 2 split (1 whole) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 extra-large egg
• 1/2 tablespoon water
• 3/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
• Good olive oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons), lemon halves reserved
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• Sliced lemon, for serving
• Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound out to 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

Mix the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a shallow plate. In a second plate, beat the egg and 1/2 tablespoon of water together. Place the bread crumbs on a third plate. Dip each chicken breast first in the flour, shake off the excess, and then dip in the egg and bread crumb mixtures.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium to medium-low heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Place them on the sheet pan and allow them to bake for 5 to 10 minutes while you make the sauce.

For the sauce, wipe out the saute pan with a dry paper towel. Over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and then add the lemon juice, wine, the reserved lemon halves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Boil over high heat until reduced in half, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and swirl to combine. Discard the lemon halves and serve 1 chicken breast on each plate. Spoon on the sauce and serve with a slice of lemon and a sprinkling of fresh parsley