LYDIA'S SKILLET CHICKEN BREASTS AGLIO E OLIO

LYDIA'S SKILLET CHICKEN BREASTS AGLIO E OLIO image

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

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Ingredients

6 chicken-breast halves, skinless & boneless (about 2 lbs)
3/4 teaspoon salt plus more as needed.
1/2 cup flour for dredging the chicken
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
8 or more big garlic cloves ( sliced)
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons tiny capers in brine, drained
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon fine bread crumbs
3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

Steps:

Sprinkle both sides of the breasts with salt. Toss each breast in flour; coat lightly on all surfaces; shake off excess. Heat 2 Tbl of the oil & butter in the pan over medium heat. When the butter is almost completely melted, lay the breasts in the pan, with space between them. Let them cook in place, without moving them, until they're sizzling. After 2 minutes or so, lift the first breast you put in the pan and check the underside. You want it to be lightly tinged with brown. Cook longer if needed, then turn all the breasts over when they've just begun to color. Quickly scatter all the garlic slices into the spaces between the chicken pieces, turn the heat up slightly, shake the pan, and stir the garlic slices around in the hot fat so they separate. After a minute or so, when the garlic has begun to sizzle, sprinkle the pepper flakes in a hot spot; toast for a minute; then spill the capers around the pan. Give the skillet a few shakes to distribute the seasonings, and run the hot juices all around the breasts. Raise the heat another notch. When everything's sizzling hard pour the vinegar into the open spaces and shake the pan to spread it. Let the vinegar sizzle and reduce for 1/2 minute or so, then pour in the broth. Cook at full blast now, quickly bringing the liquid to a boil. As it cooks, drizzle the remaining 2 Tbl of oil all around the pan, and sprinkle on another 1/4 tsp of salt. Let the sauce reduce for a couple of minutes, shaking the skillet frequently, then sprinkle the bread crumbs into the sauce (not on the chicken) and stir and shake to mix them in. Within a minute or two, the crumbs will thicken the sauce visibly cook, shaking the skillet, until it has the consistency you like. Turn off the heat, scatter the parsley over everything and shake the skillet again.