Chicken Picatta

The first home cooked meal I ever made for the boy was Chicken Picatta.  Breaded and pan fried with capers, white wine, butter and lemon and served a top of a generous helping of roasted garlic smashed potatoes with a side of asparagus.  He will tell you to this day it’s one of the reasons he knew I was a keeper.  And after all, as most men will tell you, you never let a girl who can cook get away.

So because today marks exactly 30 days until the big day, the day we’ll say ‘I Do’ on the black sand beaches of Costa Rica, I figured I would share with you his favorite dish.  Of course it’s morphed over the years, and this latest version has been Primalized, but as the boy will tell you it’s every bit as tasty as the one I served up on our third date almost 3 years ago.  And who knows, maybe the next guy or girl you make this for will end up making all your dreams come true ;)

Chicken Picatta
Serves 2

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 egg
¼ cup coconut or almond flour
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
5 tablespoons butter
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
2 tablespoons capers
1 lemon
½ cup homemade chicken stock
¼ cup white wine

Start by taking the chicken and pounding it with a mallet, or the palm of your hand, until it has a uniform thickness.  I place mine between two sheets of saran wrap to prevent any messes, a freezer bag would work as well.  Whisk the egg in a large bowl, and scoop ¼ cup of coconut or almond flour onto a plate, season the flour well with salt and pepper.  I chose coconut flour as I thought the sweetness would play well with the butter and wine.

Preheat a medium sized skillet over medium high heat.  Add the extra virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan.  Once melted, toss in the smashed garlic cloves and allow them to cook until they are golden in color being careful not to burn them.  Remove the cloves and discard.  Now what you are left with is a flavored oil without having to eat the actual garlic.  A great tip for any date night!

Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour and pat off any excess, dip each breast into the beaten egg and then back into the flour being sure to coat each breast evenly.  Add the chicken to the pan and cook 2-3 minutes per side.  Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent with aluminum foil.  Drain off any excess fat remaining in the pan and return to the heat, reduce the heat to medium.  Pour in the chicken broth, and using a wooden spoon, scrape up any of the brown bits left on the bottom of the pan.  Add the wine and cook for 2-3 minutes, this will allow the alcohol to burn off.  Add the capers, juice of 1 lemon and the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter being to sure to add the butter only 1 tablespoon at a time.  If you were to add all of the butter at once your sauce would ‘break’ meaning that the fat and liquid would separate.  Adding the butter one tablespoon at a time ensures that the fat will melt slowly into the liquid combining the two together without the sauce separating.  Taste sauce for seasoning.

Remove the aluminum foil from the chicken and pour any accumulated juices into the pan.  Add the chicken back to the skillet and gently coat with the sauce.  When the breasts are evenly coated and warmed through, transfer to a plate and pour over the remaining sauce.

Serve along side cauli-taters and sautéed asparagus or a big green salad.