All of my best-buds nestled into one elegant but easy dish: chicken, mushrooms, wine, lemon, capers and herbs.
Did I tell you that I love lemons? I LOVE lemons! To me, a little squeeze of lemon makes almost every dish better. I adore its tangy, citrusy vibe, especially on roasted veggies, fish, and chicken.
Flash back to last night: On my way home from work, while twirling my hair in the car and contemplating what to fix for dinner, a panic moment hit: “What am I going to do with the two defrosted chicken breasts sitting in my refrigerator?” I decided to stop by our local Aldi store for a little inspiration and guess what? I struck gold. Portabella mushrooms were on sale for 69 cents and, piled high right next to them were (drum roll….) lemons! That’s right, two of my best buds staring me in the face. Then, the lightbulb: Mushroom Lover’s Chicken Piccata.
This dish is so easy to make; it’s pretty and delicious. The portabella mushrooms retain their meaty texture and umami flavor which I think, perfectly complement the capers, fresh parsley, and lemon. Do you love mushrooms? Pile them on!
Before you cook:
- Don’t wash the mushrooms in water. Wipe them clean with paper towel. They will brown much better that way. Resist the urge to continuously stir them in the pan while browning. Crazy stirring = no browning.
- Pound the chicken between plastic wrap or wax paper before you cook it. Pound it just enough so that is measures about a ½ inch thick all the way around. This will help the chicken cook evenly. (It will also help the husband think he is getting a much larger portion than he actually is. 😉)
- Don’t overdue it on the capers. A little go a long way.
- Remember the lemon zest. Grate just a tiny bit on top of the finished dish.
That’s it! We ate our Mushroom Lover’s Chicken Piccata with roasted veggies and a wedge of cantaloupe. Healthy and fantastic.
Side Note: I am not a professional chef, nor a food historian. I use Google just like the rest of you do, so if in some way, I have misrepresented the true identity of Chicken Piccata I apologize, OK? I recently witnessed someone being verbally ripped to shreds on the Internet, all because she was trying to share a delicious-looking Avocado “Carbonara”. Per several “experts” it was in no way a “Carbonara” and they recommended she immediately rename her dish. Personally, I loved her interpretation. So what if it was a little off? I say, Bravo for her!
Peace, love and good eats, from our Empty Nest to yours.
Mushroom Lover's Chicken Piccata
Light and lemony, this dish breathes new life into (yawn) sometimes boring chicken breast.
Ingredients
- ½-3/4 pound portabella mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 2-3 thinly sliced skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 9-11 oz.)
- ¼ teaspoon each salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder (for coating)
- 2-3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, for dredging
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup white wine
- 1/3 cup chicken stock
- 2 teaspoons brined capers, lightly rinsed
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- salt and pepper
- lemon zest – just a bit
Instructions
- On a plate, stir together flour, salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder.
- Dredge chicken in flour/spice mixture and shake off excess.
- In a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat. When oil is hot, add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook mushrooms until brown, tossing occasionally. Remove mushrooms from pan.
- To the same pan, add 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil. When oil is hot, add chicken pieces and cook for 3 minutes.
- When chicken browns, flip and cook the other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate.
- Into the pan add the wine, lemon juice, chicken stock and capers. Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor.
- Return the chicken to the pan and simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter.
- Add 1 tablespoon butter to sauce and whisk vigorously.
- Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with chopped parsley.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 chicken breast with sauce
Amount Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
Calories 472 | ||
% Daily Value | ||
Total Fat 18.5 g | 28% | |
Saturated Fat 3.1 g | 16% | |
Unsaturated Fat 3.1 g | ||
Cholesterol 187 mg | 62% | |
Sodium 446 mg | 19% | |
Total Carbohydrates 17 g | 6% | |
Dietary Fiber 2.5 g | 10% | |
Sugars 1.6 g | ||
Protein 61 g | 122% | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Sounds amazing!!! Will try!
This was great, Chris! Plus easy and quick. Thanks!
Thanks Pat! Glad you liked it. Happy Easter to you, Ray, your kids, and of course, those wonderful grandkids!