Chicken Piccata

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A favorite entrée for many of us, chicken piccata is an easy stovetop dish ready in less than 30 minutes. The light dusting of flour on each cutlet creates a thin crust. The sauce by itself has a lusty, rich flavor that dissolves over the sautéed chicken breasts in a beautiful melding of flavors.

4 boneless chicken breasts
1 egg
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons butter, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons shallots, finely minced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup lemon juice (about 2-3 lemons)
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed

1. Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness, less than half an inch. For very thick chicken breasts, butterfly them by cutting in half.

2. In a small bowl, whisk the egg with 2 tablespoons of water to make an egg wash. Pour the egg wash on a rimmed plate. On another plate, mix the flour, salt, and pepper. Dip both sides of each chicken breast piece in the egg wash, then dredge in the flour mixture until coated.

3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil and allow to heat.

4. Place the coated chicken breasts in the hot skillet. Allow the chicken to cook on the first side until golden. Turn, and cook the second side until also golden and the chicken is cooked through.

5. Place the finished chicken on a heat tolerant plate, and place in a 200°F oven to keep warm while the other cutlets are sautéing and while the sauce is made.

6. In the skillet, sauté the shallots for 1 minute. Add additional olive oil for sautéing the shallots if needed. Add the garlic and sauté an additional minute, or until the garlic is fragrant.

7. Add the lemon juice, chicken stock, and white wine to the skillet. Stir and scrape up the browned bits. Reduce heat to a simmer and allow the juices to reduce by half.

8. Whisk in the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter. Add the capers.

9. Plate the warm chicken breasts and ladle the sauce on top. Garnish with lemon slices.