Chicken piccata

For ➍
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, butterflied (halved horizontally)
30 all-purpose flour, sifted
coarse salt & freshly ground pepper
2 tbs olive oil
3 tbs unsalted butter
2-3 tbs dry white wine
3 tbs fresh lemon juice
2 tbs salt-packed capers, soaked in water for 20 m, then drained, rinsed, & drained again
1 tbs chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Place chicken between plastic wrap or in plastic bag. Pound evenly until about 0.5 cm thick.*
Spread flour in a shallow dish; season with 1 ts salt and ¼ ts pepper; whisk to combine. Place chicken in seasoned flour, turning to coat thoroughly, then tap off the excess.
Heat the oil and 1 tbs butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until butter starts to sizzle. Cook the chicken in batches, if necessary, to avoid crowding the pan (the cutlets should fit snugly in a single layer) until golden and cooked through, 2 to 3 m for each side. The cooking time will depend on the thickness of the cutlet. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Pour out any excess fat from the pan.
Return pan to medium heat and add wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 30 s. (If the liquid is reducing too quickly, before all the browned bits have been incorporated, remove the pan from the heat.) Remove the pan from the heat. Add lemon juice, capers, and remaining 2 tbs butter and swirl until melted and combined, then add parsley and season with salt as desired.***
Immediately pour the sauce over the chicken, and serve.***

*Or put the chicken between sheets of wax paper. Pound it with a hammer or a pan or use a rolling pin.
**Shallots or garlic can be added with capers and slices of lemon. After reduction, butter is stirred in to finish the sauce.
***Serve it, like the Italians, after the pasta as secondo. Serve with vegetables or a salad.

Several authorities believe the name veal piccata, like chicken Parmesan and pasta primavera, was coined by Italian Americans in the United States in the 1930s.
Piccata is an Italian word, the feminine form of the word piccato, meaning 'larded'. It is also spelled picatta or pichotta. It is a translation of the French piqué, participle of piquer. When used in reference to a way of preparing food, particularly meat or fish, it means 'sliced, sautéed, and served in a sauce containing lemon, butter and spices'. In Italian, piccata dishes are often referred to using the umbrella term, scaloppine, of which piccata constitutes just one variety.
Traditionally, the Italians use veal (piccata di vitello al limone) or swordfish (pesce spada con capperi e limone). In the USA, the best known dish of this sort uses chicken (hence: chicken piccata). In the United States, it is usually served with a starch, such as pasta, polenta, or rice.
Try a quick chicken piccata recipe.

Fesa di vitello al limone (veal cutlets with lemon sauce)

For ➍
600 g veal cutlets or scaloppini
10 cl lemon juice
3 tbs olive oil
fresh rosemary & garlic to taste
salt

Lightly pound the cutlets to flatten them out, salt them lightly, and marinate them in the lemon juice and 1 tbs of the olive oil for 30 m.

When it comes time to cook them heat the marinade, oil and herbs to taste in a skillet. When the mixture is bubbling briskly add the meat. Cook briskly, turning the meat once, and finish cooking it over a more moderate flame, sprinkling it with more lemon juice if need be. The cooking time should be quick, just a few minutes.

Serve with a glass of dry white wine, good bread or some pasta.

*white wine variation: 600 g veal cutlets or scaloppini, 10 cl dry white wine, 3 tbs olive oil, flour, salt, fresh sage, garlic and lemon juice to taste.
Salt and flour the slices of meat, brown them in some of the olive oil, then add the wine and continue cooking over a brisk flame until it has evaporated. Reduce the flame and continue cooking the meat until done, adding 2 tbs of water or broth to keep it from drying out. Just before you remove it from the flames, sprinkle it with minced sage and garlic, and lemon juice to taste, and the remaining oil.

Quick chicken piccata

For ➍
4 chicken breast cutlets, pounded to 0.5 cm thick
1 tbs all-purpose flour
½ ts onion powder
½ ts garlic powder
½ ts salt
¼ ts freshly ground black pepper
2 tbs olive oil
5 cl sweet white wine
1 tbs butter
1 tbs lemon juice (about ½ lemon)
10 cl chicken stock
1 tbs small capers, drained

Combine flour, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and black pepper. Sprinkle evenly on both sides of chicken cutlets.

Heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken in one layer and cook on the first side for 5 m, or until golden brown. Turn and brown the other side. Turn only once. (It will cook more later.) Remove to a platter.

Add the white wine to the pan drippings and cook, scraping up the browned bits, until syrupy. Stir in the butter, lemon juice and chicken stock. Cook for 2 m.

Return chicken to the pan, turning to coat both sides with sauce. Simmer until chicken is no longer pink in the center . Sprinkle with capers.

Let rest for 2 m, then serve with pan sauce.

Serve with couscous and asparagus for instance.

'Piccata' is Italian for 'larded'. With food, particularly meat or fish, it means sliced, sautéed, and served in a sauce containing lemon, butter, and spices. The best known dish of this sort is chicken piccata, using chicken, but the term is also used with veal. There are some regional differences.