1979 rears its ugly head once more. Why were my parents such power buyers of 1979 cookbooks? I even found my family’s version of a bookmark (aka an empty envelope) addressed to my dad from 1989. The penciled in $5 in the front cover makes me think that this was the outcome of one of my Dad’s many trips to used bookstores - pawing through hundreds of books until he struck gold.
That said, this book from Bon Appetit actually had a bunch of options - as long as I kept it to classics. What could be more classic (and use my glut of frozen chicken breasts better) than chicken piccata?
Ingredients:
Chicken Piccata:
4 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts
½ c. flour
1 ½ salt
¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
Paprika [how much Bon Appetit? Who knows! I used 1/2 tsp]
¼ c. clarified butter [I used regular butter...I should have listened]
1 TB olive oil
2-4 TB Madeira or water [I used dry vermouth]
3 TB fresh lemon juice
Lemon slices
3-4 TB capers [optional, but I love them!]
¼ c. minced fresh parsley
Pasta:
9oz fresh fettucine
2TB butter
3-4 TB lemon juice
2 TB pasta water
salt and pepper
Place chicken breasts between 2 sheets of wax paper [I used a gallon Ziplock bag...which probably didn’t exist in 1979] and pound until thin (¼ inch thick). Combine flour, salt, pepper, and paprika in a bag. Add breasts and coat well; shake off excess.
Heat butter and oil in a large skillet until bubbling. Saute chicken breasts, a few at a time, 2-3 minutes per side. Do not overcook. Drain on paper towels and keep warm.
Drain off all but 2 TB of butter/oil. Stir in Madeira or water into drippings, scraping up the browned bits. Add lemon juice and heat briefly. Return chicken to skillet, interspersing with lemon slices, and heat until sauce thickens. Add capers and sprinkle with minced parsley.
Note on pasta: I did a light lemon fettuccine. I cooked 9oz fresh fettuccine as directed, grabbed some pasta water, drained, and put back in the pot. I added 2 TB of butter and 3-4 TB lemon juice and tossed over medium heat. I added a bit of pasta water and salt and pepper and served.
I love chicken piccata, but usually I make it with shallots and white wine. This was good too with more of a browned butter effect (probably my fault for not using clarified butter and burning the fat solids a bit). I'd make the chicken again, but would make more sauce - this was pretty scant. The pasta was shockingly the star of the show though - I blame Ina...I was half listening to her make lemon capellini when I concocted this plan. It's rare that I make pasta as a side, but this would be great with salmon, scallops, shrimp, or even pork chops!
Chicken Piccata - Great
Lemon Pasta - Excellent
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