Chicken Piccata

I love lemons. I love how they transform boring water into a refreshing drink; I love that they smell fresh and clean; I love that you can use both their juice and their zest to make a meal pop; and I love that they create a flavorful sauce for Chicken Piccata! I have started to keep lemons on-hand and I’ve found that the more I buy, the more ways I think of using them. Tonight’s menu is not the traditional chicken piccata because I couldn’t find capers at my grocery store (I had to use artichokes instead) but it was still delicious. The lemon sauce is tangy and buttery all in one bite. We enjoyed having the sauce with our broccoli as well. When life gives you lemons…be sure to make chicken piccatta, it is bound to lift your spirits.

Chicken Piccata
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt/pepper
1 tsp. dried parsley
3 Tbs. flour
1 egg
1 tsp. flour
¾ c. bread crumbs
2 Tbs. olive oil
3 Tbs. unsalted butter
¼ c. freshly squeezed lemon juice (1-2 lemons)
½ c. chicken broth or white wine
1 tsp. lemon zest (about ½ lemon)
small can artichoke hearts
Place chicken breasts in a large plastic zip bag. Using a mallet or rolling pin, pound chicken to 1/4” thickness. Add flour into bag and gently toss to lightly coat chicken. In a shallow bowl, blend egg and water, set aside. In another bowl add bread crumbs and season with salt, pepper and parsley, set aside. Coat skillet pan with olive oil and heat to medium. Using tongs, dip floured chicken into egg mixture and then coat in bread crumb mixture. Place breaded chicken in skillet and cook for 4 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Remove chicken from pan and place on a plate. Wipe out excess flour and oil from pan with a paper towel and start sauce. Melt butter and add lemon juice, broth and lemon zest and simmer in skillet pan for 5-10 minutes until sauce reduces slightly. Add artichoke hearts and chicken back to the sauce and heat. Serve with pasta or mashed potatoes.
Adapted from Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa
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