Super Easy and Delicious Lemon Chicken Picatta

I am not a fan of chicken. I don’t know why, maybe because everything tastes like chicken, or because it’s one of the few animals in America where you can buy a whole one at the grocery store and disassemble it yourself which my mother often did and it freaked me out.

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Whatever the reason, it’s just not my favorite thing to eat. I mean I will, if that’s the only thing on the menu, but it’s not my first choice. All that to say, if I’m putting a chicken recipe on my blog, you better believe that I found it to be mind-blowing.

The first thing going for this is that it’s a pasta recipe, and I’m a fan of all things carbs. The next thing is the spices that go into this chicken are delicious and lemony which is perfect for a summertime dish. Next, it uses capers which is a new food I realized I really enjoy, and it pairs extremely well with even a cheap bottle of chardonnay which is mostly what I get. Lastly, the leftovers even taste great! So this is an all-around win!

Super Easy and Delicious Lemon Chicken Picatta by autumnbecomes.me

Ingredients:

1. 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 3/4 – 1″ thickness)

2. salt and pepper to taste

3. Pinch of ground thyme

4. 1 Tbsp fresh basil chopped

5. 1/2 cup flour

6. 2 Tbsp butter

7. 2 Tbsp olive oil

8. 1 shallot thinly sliced

9. 3 cloves garlic minced

10. 1/2 cup chicken broth

11. 1/2 cup dry white wine

12. 2 lemons

13. 3/4 cup heavy cream

14. 1/4 cup capers drained

15. Fresh parsley and basil for garnish

16. 1 lb thin spaghetti pasta
    

Super Easy and Delicious Lemon Chicken Picatta by autumnbecomes.me

Instructions:

1.) Heat butter and oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Season flour with salt, pepper, and chopped fresh basil. Add thyme, salt, and pepper to each side of the chicken breasts, then dredge in the seasoned flour.

2.) Place the chicken breasts in the skillet. Cook in batches of 2 (unless you have a huge skillet) to ensure a golden brown exterior. Cook for about 4 minutes on each side, or until the chicken is completely cooked through. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts.***I found for my pieces of chicken it actually took longer than 4 minutes (so please be sure to test your chicken to make sure it’s not still raw inside! I actually found that cutting it into bite-sized pieces after four minutes helped it cook further***

3.) Drop your pasta in salted boiling water and cook until al dente.

4.) Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add shallots and garlic to the same skillet, and stir to saute for 1 minute. Add stock, wine, lemon juice, heavy cream, and capers. Whisk to combine and bring the sauce to a low boil. Taste the sauce and adjust salt and pepper if necessary. Simmer the sauce for 3 minutes. I found it to be a little watery and this is pretty normal, it’s not a thick sauce.

5.) Drain pasta, place in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and add fresh basil and parsley, and toss to combine.

6.) Slice the chicken into strips and place over cooked pasta. Pour sauce over the top and garnish with chopped parsley and basil.

I hope you love this recipe! I think it’s perfect for a summertime dinner. Let me know what you think of it in the comments! -Heather Autumn

Super Easy and Delicious Lemon Chicken Picatta recipe by autumnbecomes.me