Every grandparent’s kitchen comes standard with a recipe box full of stained recipes from years ago. My favorite crumpled up recipe from my nana’s recipe box is her chicken piccata recipe. This recipe has been passed down by the women of my family and now I’ll pass it on to you.
This recipe is better than any chicken piccata from Bertucci’s or Cheesecake Factory, and it is the only food I crave when I am away at school. My nana didn’t just pass down this recipe to me though, she taught me the skills necessary to recreate such a special dish. Every once in a while when I get the itch to cook an elaborate meal, and I have a spare $20 to spend on ingredients, I make this generational chicken piccata recipe.
The ingredients required are as follows:
- 6 tablespoons of butter
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced
- ½ cup of flour
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, butterflied and pounded
- 1 tablespoon of oil
- 2 tablespoons of capers
- ½ cup of dry white wine
- 1 cup of chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons of freshly chopped parsley
To start off, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large heavy-based skillet. When it starts to foam, add the lemon slices and cook over a medium heat for four minutes. Flip the lemon often. When they turn golden brown, remove them from the pan and keep them warm.
Now, in a large shallow bowl stir together the flour, salt and pepper. Dip the chicken breasts into the flour and make sure they are fully coated. Pat off the excess flour.
Next, reheat the skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the oil when the pan is hot and add 1 tablespoon of butter. After the butter is foaming, add half of the chicken breasts at a time. While turning the breasts often, let them cook for five to six minutes, or until they are browned and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and keep warm.
Add in the capers and wine to the skillet. Make sure to scrape off any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce the wine mixture to ¼ cup. Add in the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Let it bubble steadily for two minutes until it thickens slightly. Then add in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan and mix until the butter melts.
Finally, return the chicken to the pan. Reheat it in the simmering sauce, making sure to turn it several times for three minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve at once!
I guarantee that if you follow this recipe, I’m sure it will blow your mind.
