Recipe: Chicken Piccata

If you are looking for something simple, yet completely delicious to make this weekend, look no further than this chicken piccata.  Full of mushrooms, capers, and just the right amount of lemon, it’s perfect.  Chicken piccata is certainly not a fancy dish, but something about the way this one looks on the plate makes it look like something that came out of a restaurant kitchen.  It must be the mushrooms.  Mushrooms make everything better.  But what makes this dish even better is how easy it is and how fast it comes together.  I love dishes that you can make in the time it takes for the water to boil and the pasta to cook.

I like a lot of sauce so I’ve increased some of the measurements so you’ll have lots of sauce to mop up with a good hunk of bread.  This cheesy garlic bread would be splendid, but really any good crusty bread will do.  Pour yourself a glass of wine, have a seat, and kick off the weekend with a fabulously easy, yet restaurant quality meal.

Chicken Piccata
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8 tablespoons butter, divided
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 chicken cutlets
1/3 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
8 oz sliced mushrooms (baby bellas are highly suggested)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup white wine
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 extra large lemon or 2 small)
1 1/2 tablespoons capers
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper
3/4 pound long pasta (linguine or fettuccine)
Parmesan cheese, for serving

Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat.  Add 1-2 tablespoons salt to boiling water, then cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain.  In the meantime, while the water is boiling and the pasta is cooking, make the chicken and sauce.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  In a small bowl or on a flat plate, mix flour, poultry seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.  Dredge chicken cutlets in flour mixture, making sure to cover all the surfaces of the chicken.  Add the chicken to the skillet and cook 4-5 minutes undisturbed.  If the chicken appears to be browning too fast, lower the heat to medium.  Flip the cutlets and cook another 3-5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Remove chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.  Set aside.

Return the pan to medium-high heat if needed and melt another 2 tablespoons of butter and remaining tablespoon of olive oil with the chicken drippings in the pan.  Add the mushrooms and saute about 5 minutes or until they release their juices and start to soften and turn brown.  Season lightly with salt and pepper.  Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Stir in the wine and scrape all the delicious brown bits off the bottom of the pan.  After a minute or so, add the lemon juice and stir to combine.  Lower heat to low and simmer for 1-2 minutes to thicken the sauce slightly.  Add the last 3 tablespoons butter, the capers, and 1 teaspoon of parsley.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Return chicken to pan to rewarm while you drain the pasta.

Dish up pasta and top with chicken, mushrooms, and plenty of sauce.  Sprinkle with parsley and serve with parmesan cheese.

-Adapted from My Life as a Mrs.

This post is linked to Tasty Tuesdays, Marvelous Mondays, Inspiration Spotlight & The Best Blog Recipes