Chicken Piccata with Garlic Parmesan Broccoli

Friday night was a wonderful evening. Why you ask? Yours truly got to sit back and relax while my phenomenal Little and best friend Savannah made dinner for our group of friends! …granted, I couldn’t stay out of the kitchen entirely (I made the broccoli side dish), but still! It was great to spend quality time with some of the people I love most in this world while eating delicious food. Savannah was nice enough to make the meal I requested: Chicken Piccata. She made it for all of us back in April, and it was about time it made another appearance. These “family dinners,” as they’ve lovingly been named, are truly one of my favorite things in this world. One couple cooks for everyone else and we stay in, laugh, watch movies, eat, drink, and be merry. Savannah’s boyfriend is finally in town (don’t worry – we all gave him the stamp of approval – good work Joshua), so naturally it was her turn to cook! Josh was there to lend a helping hand as well, after all, it takes a true master to operate that iPhone timer. Snarky comments aside, these two made us a delicious meal that I simply had to share with all of you!!

Chicken Piccata: Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour, for dredging
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup brined capers, rinsed
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Pasta of your choice (optional)

Instructions:

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess (which brings us to our word of the day! Dredging is a cooking technique used to coat wet or moist foods with a dry ingredient prior to cooking. Basically, dredging involves pulling/rolling the wet food through the dry material to provide an even coating)
In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil.
When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes.
When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes.
Remove and transfer to plate.
Melt 2 more tablespoons butter and add another 2 tablespoons olive oil.
When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same manner.
Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.
Into the pan add the lemon juice, stock and capers.
Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor.
Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove chicken to platter.
Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to sauce and whisk.
Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.
Serve with pasta (optional)

Garlic Parmesan Broccoli Side Dish: Serves 4. This is my go-to side dish from Ted Allen’s cookbook – absolutely delicious!!

Ingredients:

4 heads of broccoli, chopped into bite-size pieces
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 cup of parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 cup of water
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Add 2 tablespoons of olive and garlic to medium pan (about one minute) – be careful not to burn the garlic!
Add broccoli to the pan and let simmer for 1-2 minutes
Add water and cover. Let simmer for 2-3 minutes (or until water has evaporated)
Pour broccoli into a bowl
Mix in parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and lemon juice while broccoli is still warm until cheese melts
Season with salt and pepper to taste

With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, I hope you all soon find yourselves surrounded by good food and even better company! But nights like last Friday are a good reminder that you don’t need a holiday to spend time with the people you care about, and simultaneously stuff yourself silly with delicious food. Happy eating everyone!