Chicken Scaloppine Piccata
Submitted By: Taz
Ingredients:
4 Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breasts (Apx 2lbs)
½ Cup All Purpose Flour
6 Tbs Unsalted Butter - separated
4 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ Cup Dry White Wine - can substitute chicken stock if desired
Juice of 2 Lemons - separated
Zest of 1 Lemon
6 oz Pancetta (AKA Italian Bacon) - small chopped
12 oz Artichoke Hearts - quartered OR cut into bite sized pieces
12 oz Cremini OR White Button Mushrooms - sliced
¼ Cup Brined Capers - drained
Kosher Salt to taste
Fresh Ground Pepper to taste
-OPTIONAL GARNISH-
Extra Lemon Wedges
Fresh Italian Parsley - rough chopped
Preparation:
- Wash and thoroughly dry chicken breasts - Slice each chicken breast in half horizontally across their 'equator' - Place each chicken breast half between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a meat hammer or rolling pin until apx ¼ of an inch thick
- Season each side of flattened chicken breast half liberally with salt and pepper - Dredge the pieces thoroughly in flour until well coated
- Place a large skillet over medium high heat - Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter until shimmering - Place the chicken pieces in the skillet leaving space around each one (DO NOT crowd the pan - cook in batches if necessary) - Allow to cook until golden brown (apx 3 minutes) - Flip and repeat making sure chicken is cooked through - Remove from pan and set aside (keep chicken warm by loosely wrapping in foil and placing in a warm oven until ready to plate and serve)
- Once all of the chicken pieces have been cooked, add white wine, half of the lemon juice, lemon zest, pancetta, artichoke hearts, and mushrooms to the skillet and bring to a simmer lightly scraping the bottom of the pan with rubber/silicone spatula to de glaze the pan and lift all of the 'fond' - Once a simmer has been achieved, add the capers and continue to simmer until sauce is reduced by about half (the mushrooms should be soft and pancetta cooked through) - Whisk in remaining butter and remaining lemon juice - Adjust seasoning
- Transfer chicken pieces to serving dish(s) and pour the sauce over the top - Serve immediately with optional garnish alongside favorite pasta if desired
