Chicken Piccata

Piccata vs. Francaise...What's the difference? Well, not too much actually. They both can be made with chicken, veal or fish and both consist of a lemon butter sauce. The difference is that while Francaise dips the meat into an eggwash then flour before pan frying; Piccata only dips the meat into flour and also adds capers to it's lemon butter sauce. 

Capers grow in the Mediterranean on a perennial plant that bears round leaves and white to pinkish-white flowers. I was actually shocked to see that they grow out of the rocks in Santorini, Greece and not in the ground. After the caper buds are picked, they are dried in the sun then pickled in vinegar, brine or salt. They have a tangy, lemony flavor similar to green olives and add another nuance to your dish. 

Chicken Piccata
4 Boneless Chicken Breasts, sliced horizontally into 1/4" thick pieces(approx. 20 slices)
1/2 c. All-Purpose Flour
1 tbsp. Butter
1/4 c. Canola Oil

Sauce
1 tbsp. Butter
1 tbsp. All-Purpose Flour
1 Lemon, juice only
2 tbsp. Capers
1/2 c. White Wine (I used Pinot Grigio)
2 c. Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Dip each piece of chicken  into the flour until all pieces are coated. In a large nonstick frying pan, melt 1 tbsp. butter and oil and add the chicken. Cook 2-3 minutes per side over medium heat until chicken is lightly browned. Place cooked chicken directly in your baking dish and continue frying until all of the chicken is cooked through. In a medium saucepan, melt 1 tbsp. butter over medium heat, and add the flour forming a roux. Next, add the lemon juice, capers, white wine and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and stir for approximately 5 minutes. Pour the sauce over your cooked chicken. Bake 350°F for 30 minutes. Serves 6-8.

Points+=9pts per 6 servings
Points+=7pts per 8 servings

Enjoy! 

Shared at The Newlyweds Blog 4/4/12