Chicken Piccata (aka Lemon Chicken)

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 large lemons
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, rinsed,dried thoroughly,trimmed of excess fat (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• salt & fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons drained small capers
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

Recipe

• 1 adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, set large heatproof plate on rack, and heat oven to 200 degrees.
• 2 cut 1 lemon crosswise into slices 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick discarding ends; set aside.
• 3 juice the other lemon.
• 4 sprinkle both sides of chicken breasts generously with salt and pepper.
• 5 measure flour into pie tin or shallow baking dish.
• 6 coat chicken with flour, and shake to remove excess.
• 7 heat heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until hot, about 2 minutes.
• 8 add 2 tbsp oil and coat pan bottom.
• 9 lay half of chicken pieces in skillet.
• 10 sauté without moving them, until lightly browned on first side, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes.
• 11 turn chicken and cook until second side is lightly browned, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes longer.
• 12 remove pan from heat and transfer chicken to plate in oven.
• 13 add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to now-empty skillet and heat until shimmering.
• 14 add remaining chicken pieces and repeat.
• 15 add garlic to now-empty skillet and return skillet to medium heat.
• 16 sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds for shallot or 10 seconds for garlic.
• 17 add stock and lemon slices, increase heat to high, and scrape skillet bottom with wooden spoon or spatula to loosen browned bits.
• 18 simmer until liquid reduces to about 1/3 cup, about 4 minutes.
• 19 add lemon juice and capers and simmer until sauce reduces again to 1/3 cup, about 1 minute.
• 20 remove pan from heat and swirl in butter until butter melts and thickens sauce; swirl in parsley.
• 21 spoon sauce over chicken and serve immediately.