post [ban man]!post [bad man]!
Was talking food with a friend, and did a search for a recipe I have, and found this thread! None of y'all commented, but what do I care, it's
easier to send a link to friends than retype the whole freakin' recipe.
This isn't really a college food recipe, unless you're feeling like splurging a bit. It's a Chicken Piccata recipe that is a variation on one from
Cook's Illustrated magazine. Takes a while to make, but maaaaaan is it worth it. I prefer a lemony flavor. For those of you who prefer the more
buttery variation found in most restaurants...Just go away
First, you need to get some boneless chicken breasts. I usually make this when I have people over (not alone, too much work), and it's rather
popular, so I use 8 chicken breasts. Use your math skills if you want to do less or more
Slice each breast in two, or four if they're thick. You
want the chicken to be about 1/2 inch thick, erring on the thin side.
First, preheat your oven to 200 degrees F (About 90-95 C)
Take two large lemons and cut them from pole to pole (across the knobby end). Slice each half into about 1/8 inch thick slices. Juice another 4
lemons, or use a cup of lemon juice (the lemons are better). Put all of that aside, it's time to burn stuff.
Next, cover each cutlet with salt, pepper and flour. It's best to just mix the two together, spread them across a counter or in a casserole pan, and
flip them in the mixture. You're going to add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a heavy skillet, and then lay some of the pieces of chicken in
it, not moving them for about 2 minutes on a medium high heat. Flip them and wait the same amount of time. This is gonna make a mess, because you're
browning the chicken, even with the oil. Take the chicken and put it in the oven, and continue to repeat until all the chicken is browned, adding 2
more tablespoons of oil between loads of chicken. If your pan is small, use less oil; I have a 12 inch cast iron pan. You want there to be very little
oil when you're done with all the chicken.
Now, mince (if you have a chef knife) 3 cloves of garlic, or use 3 teaspoons of pre-minced garlic (again, fresh stuff is better). Throw the garlic in
the skillet (without cleaning or rinsing) and put it on a medium heat, sauteing for about 10 to 15 seconds, until it stinks good. Add 2 cups of
chicken stock and the lemon slices, and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
IMPORTANT: If you're using a Teflon or other
non-stick pan,
do not use metal, it will scratch the pan, and Teflon ain't good for ya. The wood spoon prevents a metallic flavor from
entering the dish, though if you simmer it for a moment you can use a heat resistant plastic stirring spoon.
Simmer for a while, until you have about 2/3 cup of juice. It could take upwards of 20 minutes. You want it to be fairly little. Add the lemon juice
you squeezed earlier, some sliced or chopped black olives (about 1/2 cup) and throw in 5 tablespoons of pickled (brine cured) capers, and continue to
simmer until you're down to about 1 cup of juice. Again, this could take a while. Swirl in 7 tablespoons of softened butter until the butter melts
and thickens the sauce. Throw in about 4 tablespoons of fresh parsley, minced.
Now, take out the chicken, and allow people to either serve themselves, or pour the sauce as you bring out the chicken to your guests! Awesome meal,
fantastic flavor, and a lot more expensive than spicy Mac & Cheese!
[edit on 3/6/06/06 by junglejake]