Lemon Chicken
Pollo Piccante
(Serves 8)

4 large chicken breasts (boned, skinned)
1 1/2 C flour
1 T fresh parsley (chopped)
1 T salt
2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 lemon (zest and juice)
2 T olive oil
2 T butter
3 cloves garlic (crushed or minced)
3/4 C dry white wine
2 T capers
salt & pepper to taste
fresh parsley (chopped or sprigs) for garnish

Chicken: slice chicken breasts in half lengthwise. Or if you're in possession of a good sharp knife, slice the breasts edge-to-edge (like cutting a deck of cards) to make two thin pieces. Place each half (however you cut slice them) between 2 sheets of waxed paper and pound to 1/4" thickness (use a mallet, or heavy chef’s knife blade). Set aside.

Combine flour with next 4 ingredients, plus 2 tsp. lemon zest.  Coat flattened chicken breasts with the flour mixture. Set pieces on a flat baking sheet and let them rest for 30 minutes before cooking. This helps seasoned flour to adhere.

In a heavy skillet, heat oil and butter together until very hot (careful not to burn). Add chicken pieces, batch at a time, and brown 4-5 minutes a side (till chicken is cooked but still tender).  Add more oil if you need it. Remove, arrange on a platter, and keep warm. 

Sauce: next, add garlic to skillet and cook 2 minutes (careful not to brown). Then add lemon juice, wine, and capers, stirring and scraping up meat fond from bottom of the pan. Boil down a few minutes, always stirring, to thicken slightly, and pour over chicken. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

Tips & Glossary: Italian

Arborio Rice: a medium-grained rice. Its high starch content yields a creamy texture and is the basis for risotto.

Balsamic Vinegar: dark, thick vinegar with a sweet pungent flavor. Fermented, concentrated, and aged in wooden casks, sometimes up to 12 years. Can be pricey.

Caper: salty, pickled bud of spiny shrub native to the Mediterranean region. Most prized is the non-pareil, the smallest (approx. 1/8”), though other sizes are tasty and less expensive.

Formaggio: Cheese! Like France, Italy is a land of sublime cheeses, some 400 varieties. Here are some of the most widely sold in the U.S.
• Asiago (Alpine region; smooth or crumbly, great for grating.)
• Fontina (Alpine region; a Gruyere- or Swiss-type cheese with nutty flavor.)
• Mascarpone (southwest of
Milan; triple-cream, smooth and easily spread; used in Tiramisu.)
• Mozzarella (generic term for semi-soft cheese; “fresh” is eaten the day it is made; “buffalo” is from water buffalo. Used in lasagna and pizza when dried slightly.)
• Parmigiano Reggiano (Parma area; the true Parmesan, whose designation is strictly controlled in Italy.)
• Pecorino Romano (made of sheep’s milk; mostly from Sardinia. A hard, salty cheese used for grating.)
• Provologne (mostly from northern Italy; semi-hard, varying from mild to sharp flavor.)
• Ricotta (made of whey, a by-product of making other cheese; soft and creamy like cottage cheese. Used in lasagna.)
• Romano (an American term for Pecorino Romano and other cheeses.)

Italian Seasoning:  blend of dried herbs used in Italian cooking—marjoram, thyme, rosemary, savory, sage, oregano, and basil. Packaged commercially and found in most food stores.

Pine Nuts:  pinoli or pignoli; edible seeds of pine trees used in pesto sauce. Before cooking, release flavor by lightly browning in a heated skillet.

Plum Tomatoes:  aka Italian tomatoes; oval-shaped. Used in sauces because they are meatier with fewer seeds than standard tomatoes.

Roasted peppers: buy or make your own: place under a broiler, or hold over a gas flame, till skin chars and blisters. Place in a closed paper bag for 15-20 minutes (to steam them). When cool, the skins slip off under water.

Prosciutto:  especially Prosciutto di Parma, dry-cured ham from Parma. The real deal! Cured up to 2 years, is almost sweet and very expensive. You can substitute with capicola, a delicious, light peppery ham.