Best Frugal Gourmets Chicken Piccata Recipes

CHICKEN PICCATA (FRUGAL GOURMET)

Steps:

• 1. Saute the yellow onion, garlic and green onions in the olive oil just until tender.
• 2. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• 3. Remove skins and bones from chicken breasts and pound them flat.
• 4. Mix flour, salt and pepper together and place in flat bowl.
• 5. Dip chicken into flour mixture, lightly brown chicken in butter 2 or 3 minutes per side.
• 6. Add the sauted onions and garlic.
• 7. Over high heat add sherry, lemon juice and capers.
• 8. This should thicken to make a nice gravy for chicken.

THE BEST CHICKEN PICCATA

Steps:

• Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet. Cut two 12-inch sheets of plastic wrap.
• Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise, making 4 roughly equal pieces; they should look like large chicken tenders. Place one sheet of plastic on a clean cutting board. Put a chicken piece in the center of the plastic and top with the other sheet of plastic. Pound the chicken with the flat side of a meat mallet, starting in the center and working your way to the edges, until the chicken is 1/4-inch thick and 6 to 8 inches long. Transfer to the wire rack. Repeat with the remaining chicken, one piece at a time. Liberally sprinkle with salt and pepper. Refrigerate the chicken cutlets uncovered for 1 hour.
• Remove the zest from half of the lemon in wide strips with a vegetable peeler, leaving the bitter white pith behind. Halve and juice the whole lemon.
• Put the flour in a shallow bowl or plate. Dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until very hot, about 1 minute. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and melt. Working in 2 batches, cook the cutlets, adding another tablespoon of butter to the skillet between batches, until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side (it's ok if the chicken is not completely cooked through, it will finish cooking in the sauce). Transfer the cutlets to a plate.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and 1 tablespoon of the butter to the skillet and cook until the garlic is tender and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the wine and cook until almost completely evaporated, about 4 minutes. Add the capers, lemon zest, 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, 1/4 cup water and the cutlets with any accumulated juices and bring to a boil. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Turn the chicken to coat in the sauce and cook until the butter melts and the sauce thickens slightly. Garnish with chopped parsley.

CHICKEN MULLIGATAWNY SOUP FROM "THE FRUGAL GOURMET"

Steps:

• In a 4-quart pot, simmer the chicken, covered, in 4 cups of water until tender, about 30 minutes.
• Remove, cool, debone, and chop the meat and skin coarsely.
• Save the stock in the pot.
• Set the meat aside.
• Heat a large frying pan and add the ghee, garlic, onion, celery, and carrot.
• Saute just until the onion is tender.
• Add this to the pot of reserved stock.
• Add 4 more cups of water to the pot along with all remaining ingredients except the garnishes and chicken.
• Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Add the deboned chicken.
• Simmer for 5 minutes.
• Garnish with the fresh coriander and black pepper.
• I like lots of black pepper in this dish!

PERFECT CHICKEN PICCATA

Steps:

• Slice chicken breasts in half lengthwise and lightly pound to 1/2-inch thick. Season evenly on both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge each piece in flour to coat the surface and shake off any excess flour.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil and 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke. Add 1/2 of the chicken and cook, undisturbed, until browned and easily released from the skillet, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from the skillet. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the drippings and repeat the cooking process with remaining chicken. Reserve all chicken on a plate.
• Reduce heat to medium and melt remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in the skillet. Add wine and capers and stir, scraping to release any browned bits from the skillet; bring to a simmer. Cook for 2 minutes to slightly reduce. Add chicken stock, lemon juice, and lemon zest; stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes.
• Return chicken to the skillet and cook, turning occasionally in the sauce, until chicken is no longer pink in the center, the juices run clear, and the sauce has thickened slightly, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and sprinkle with parsley to serve.