School is almost back in session and I can honestly say that I have begun counting down the days. As much as I love the lazy mornings and the relaxed schedule, there’s something to be said for pushing the chicks out of the nest to fly on their own, even if it’s only for a few hours each day. This year my youngest, Drew, will officially begin his educational foray through preschool. He’s more than ready and so am I. After seven years of full time “momhood”, I will finally have a couple mornings to myself. Don’t get me wrong, I love to share moments with my kids, but I have to say that the thought of a doctor’s appointment without a child in tow is somewhat intriguing. The ideas are already beginning to form as to how I will spend this precious alone time. Blogging, of course, will take a chunk. With no boys left back at the house, I’m free to finally volunteer at my older children’s school. I suspect that the long lost art of exercise might also creep it’s way back into my life. Lord knows it needs to.
With summer winding down, I’m gearing up for the inevitable dinner time crunch that will soon return. Gone are the days of leisurely dinners and back are the rushed 30 minute meal times. So in the spirit of back to school, let’s whip up a 30 minute plate pleaser, shall we?
I have been wanting to try my hand at chicken piccata for some time now. Every time I see a picture of the dish floating somewhere across the internet, it gets my stomach grumbling. Chickenwise, there’s nothing quite like a perfectly breaded and cooked filet to get me running for my dinner plate in anxious anticipation. The Southwestern inspiration? Well, that’s just me craving a little bit of the west in my dish, which I have have to say happens more than I’d like to admit. Not that anyone has a problem with that mind you. Just sayin.
Begin your chicken piccata by flattening out a few choice chicken breasts, flouring them up, splashing a handful of choice spices over the top, and tossing them into a hot frying pan with a little oil.
Once they’re cooked through, pull them out and set to the side. Try not to nibble too much while you’re cooking the sauce.
Turn the heat down to low and into the same pan add some lime juice, white wine (be sure to pour yourself a glass to drink while cooking, it really aids in the mood of the chef), chicken broth, diced green chiles, and a few more spices for good measure.
Stir in a couple dollops of sour cream, a splash of heavy cream and a handful of chopped fresh cilantro. Season with salt and pepper and serve over rice or noodles.
Bring on the school time meal crunch. This mama’s ready to get back in the groove.
Southwestern Inspired Chicken Piccata
Total Time: 30 min
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Pd Chicken Breasts
Cumin, Garlic Powder, Salt, and Pepper for Sprinkling on Breasts
1/2 Cup Flour
1 Lime, juiced
1/4 Cup White Wine
1/4 Cup Chicken Broth
4 Oz. Can Diced Green Chiles
1/2 tsp Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Onion Powder
1/4 Cup Sour Cream
1/4 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Bunch Cilantro, Chopped
Salt and Pepper, to Taste
Directions:
Heat up the oil and butter in a large sauce pan on medium high heat.
Pound out your chicken breasts to between 1/4" and a 1/2" thick.
Sprinkle each breast on both sides with the cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Dredge the chicken with flour on both sides and place into heated pan.
Cook Chicken, flipping once, until juices run clear. Remove from pan.
Using pan juices, turn heat down to medium low and add in the lime juice, wine, chicken broth, chopped chilis and the spices.*
Stir in the sour cream and heavy cream. Add in the cilantro and season to your liking with salt and pepper.
Serve the chicken over rice or noodles with a few hearty spoonfuls of sauce over the top.
* If the pan juices have become burnt while cooking your chicken (brown is ok, black is not), replace the juices with a fresh 2 tbsp of both the oil and butter.
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This looks delish : )
Wow, almost the end of summer? Where does the time go?
What a great combination of flavors and textures Julie. Love this recipe of chicken. I must try it soon.
Ummm lots of great spices, I like that. Will be serve over white rice too at home. Good for you, finally get the mornings to yourself….I’ve been there, but now I miss that. My little one will start tomorrow, a freshman in high school, a junior and my eldest in college. I dread them starting school because I enjoy the mornings with them because I have nine years with the mornings to my self 🙁 Thanks for the recipe.
Never had chicken piccata but this looks so flavoursome and would be very gratefully gobbled up here so I must try this out sometime! Lovely recipe 🙂
There is something pretty wonderful about the fall routine. Even though I work the same hours whatever the season, there are so many more events, visits, gatherings, weddings, and escapades to work into the summer schedule. Both Adam and I are looking forward to the fall, and the calm of our little weekly rituals and rhythms.
I know exactly how you feel;with 4 boys, yes I know. love our kids but…alone time is also a good thing. This sounds like a great version of chickne piccatta; never made it this way.
rita
Oh, I feel for you! We just sent our Oldest off to college last Friday-the time flies faster than you can even imagine! Anne
This looks really good! My previous attempts to chicken piccata didn’t turn out very well, so I’m definitely trying this recipe out! Thanks for sharing it 🙂
A piccata with Southwestern flare sounds awesome, very tasty!
I LOVE Chicken Piccata and just love your twist on this! What a delicious recipe! I look forward to trying this!
I JUST saw this on dishfolio and I thought, YUM, that looks good! But I left the page before I remembered to click on the link. I should have known something so delicious would come from you! 🙂
Love this take on chicken piccata, Julie! You bring this and I’ll make the daiquiris!
Wow! This seems so quick and easy! Perfect!
I can’t wait for school to start as well although I’ll admit that I won’t be cooking up anything remotely as delicious with my newfound free time!
This looks really delicious! I make a lemon chicken piccata but I have never ventured off from that. I would love to try this recipe. I invite you to share it on my recipe blog party which will open this Monday night called Tuesday’s Tasty Tidbits. Actually, it is still open from this week, for that matter.
The first day of school is always such a bittersweet time. It’s glorious to have some time to yourself, but how we miss our little ones while they’re at school! I love the Southwestern take on this chicken piccata.
I love chicken piccata and Mexican food and this sounds like the best of both worlds! Yum!
I think all of us Mommies have been counting down the days!!!!! This look divine!
Great looking 30 minutes meal and it sounds like it’s loaded with flavor.
There is something to be said about time to yourself. I think it’s something we all need, I know I do. Enjoy!
Hey Julie! This sounds fantastic. Very creative to add in the extra kick. I’m excited for you to get a little grown-up time!
I haven’t tried this one yet. But I did see your CP recipe in “Cooking Lite”. It looks very much like one I developed. Wish I could share it with you. (don’t think I can attach here. Basically, I make the lemon slices a more integral part. They are outrageous. Kind of a candied texture. So good! Let me see what happens, if I try this:
MY Chicken Picatta (use breasts; thighs—don’t pound as well)
6oz white wine (Sauvignon Blanc), 8oz chicken broth, 1 1/2 lemon, sliced into wafer-thin slices (1/8”) plus 1/2 lemon for 1½T juice
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 2t kosher salt 1/2t freshly ground black pepper 1C all-purpose flour
4T unsalted butter 2-4T olive oil 8oz white button mushrooms, sliced thin 2 1/2T capers, drained but not rinsed 2T fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped (use button, Cremini or small portabellos)
• Combine the white wine, broth and lemon juice in measuring cup. Set aside.
• Slice breasts 1/3“. Season the breasts with 1t of the salt & pepper. 2 dashes Wicked.
• Season 1C flour: salt pepper, garlic powder, Wicked. In plastic bag, dust each breast.
• Then, one at a time, place breast in bag; close, pushing air out. Pound to flatten with meat pounder, 1/4″ thick, flipping the bag once during the process. Remove. Repeat with each
• breast. May need to re-dust! Save flour to thicken sauce at the end.
• Place a heavy, 12” straight-sided sauté pan & tight-fitting lid over HIGH heat for 1 min.
• ADD 2T each of the butter and oil to the pan. When the butter just stops bubbling, carefully add 4 chicken slices. Cook, gently shaking the pan, for 2-3min. When golden, flip &
• repeat for another 2-3min. (can use electric skillet)
• Remove the chicken from the pan, add another 1T each of the butter & EVO, and when the butter is melted, add the remaining 4 breasts/thighs and cook as before.
• Remove the chicken from the pan to a platter. Add the mushrooms & the remaining 1t salt.
• Toss or stir to sauté for 2min, until the mushrooms start to turn golden.
• Stir the mushrooms out to the circumference of the pan and add thin lemon slices right into the middle. Stir, cooking for another 2min. ADD capers–1min more. Add parsley, 30sec.
• Add the chicken back to the pan and reduce the heat to LOW. Distribute the candied lemon
• slices across the top of the chicken, ADD 1/2 of wine mixture and cover with lid.
• Braise 5-7min, until the chicken is cut-with-a-fork tender. Remove chicken & lemon to platter.
• Increase the heat to med-high and add the remaining 1T butter, flour, & wine mix to make sauce.
• Simmer, stirring constantly until it reaches sauce consistency, about 90sec, then pour it over the chicken. Grind on some more pepper & top with chopped parsley. Serve with mixed Multi-Rice Pilaf.
• Note: sauté lemon slices to “candy”. Delicious!
SORRY, if this is messy. EMAIL me at Jazznme2@yahoo & I will return Word file so you can review it better. It’s VERY much like yours that I saw in the magazine. I’m in Fresno. Wish you were still in NYC! Not sure I can make it to Mt Brook. Oh! I just saw that THIS recipe is from 2011. Hope you will get my note.
Sincerely, Annie
Julie replied: — May 16th, 2018 @ 7:00 pm
Hey Annie! I’ve been away from the blog but just saw this. Thanks so much for the recipe! I’ll definitely try your version. I love the idea of candied lemons – yummo!!