You can always tell a good recipe by the condition of the page it is written. I am too embarrassed to post a picture, but this one is a prime example. I have made this recipe for the last couple of years and it is one of my absolute favorites!! The crispy seasoned crust accompanied by the tart buttery sauce, grabs your taste buds and leaves you wanting more. I got the recipe from a Barefoot Contessa Cookbook and it is one recipe that I follow to the letter. This recipe is a little different from other chicken piccata recipes in that it does not have capers, but you can always add some if you prefer. It is a fairly easy recipe, but looks impressive when you plate it. Enjoy!
Ingredients
2 large boneless skinless chicken breast
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup all purpose flour
2 extra-large eggs
1 ½ cups seasoned dried bread crumbs
good olive oil ( I prefer Lucini)
3 tablespoon unsalted butter
⅓ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons approximately), save lemon halves after juicing
½ cup dry white wine (I used a chardonnay)
chopped flat-leaf parsley for serving
Preheat oven to 400˚ F. Place a cooling rack on a cookie sheet. This allows air to flow around chicken while in the oven so you don't end up with a soggy bottom. Wash and trim fat from chicken breast. Holding the palm of your hand flat on top, slice chicken breast in half crossways to leave you two chicken cutlets. Do the same to the other breast. If you need an example, look at the recipe on my website for Chicken with Italian Basil Cream Sauce. Put the cutlets one at a time in a ziplock bag and pound each breast to ¼ inch in thickness.
On a shallow plate, mix flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. I use paper plates for easy clean up. In a second plate, beat the eggs and 1 tablespoon water. Put the bread crumbs on a third plate. Make sure the breast are dry by blotting them with a paper towel. If you don't, the water will get trapped and the coating wont stick. Dip each chicken breast first in the flour, shake off the excess, and then dip in the egg mixture, and last in the bread crumbs. Make sure to press the bread crumbs into the chicken.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add 2 chicken breasts and cook for 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Place them on the cooling rack. Put more olive oil in the saute pan and cook the second 2 chicken breast. Place them on the same cooling rack and allow them to bake for 5 to 10 minutes to finish cooking through.
While the chicken are in the oven, wipe out the saute pan with dry paper towels. On medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter and then add the lemon juice, white wine, the reserved lemon halves, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Boil over high heat until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Discard the lemon halves. Off the heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and swirl to combine. Spoon the sauce over each chicken breast and serve with fresh chopped parsley and a slice of lemon. If you want to make the lemon twist like mine, cut a slice of lemon and slice it through leaving one part of the rind attached and twist.
