Recipe of the week: Chicken Picatta

[F.D.V.]

Recipe of the Week: Chicken Picatta

Chicken Picatta is easy to do, tastes great if done right, and really does not require that much time to prep. The key to this recipe is moving along quickly and smoothly, like sluffs of soft snow rushing down the slopes with your turns. This is a fairly standard recipe, but, the tips in the preparation are the key to this one. I use chicken thighs, as they have a bit more fat and seem a bit more inclined to this sort of cooking I do not trim them, as the melted fat lends itself to the sauce and it’s quality. If you are worried about fat, use chicken breasts, but also add the chicken broth at the end as mentioned. Chicken breasts will also work very well, but, take longer.

Take chicken thighs (in the quantity of your choosing…just do not crowd the pan) and thaw, if necessary. Rinse, then pat dry. Take several cups of flour and season well with salt, pepper, and just a teaspoon of Thyme per 2 cups of flour. Place flour plus seasoning in a gallon bag.

Heavily glaze a heavy skillet with olive oil (again, it need not be extra virgin, but why the hell not?) and heat over a maxed out flame. The key here is that you want the olive oil hot enough that you can get a nice sear on the chicken, but, you don’t want to overheat the oil and burn it. Use your nose again, and when you really start to smell the oil permeating your kitchen, it’s time to drop!

Place chicken thighs in bag and shake. Take the thighs, one at a time, and place them smooth side down in the pan. Once you drop, DO NOT TOUCH! If you do need to shift them, use tongs or the like. Watch and wait, as you want to regulate that heat so it is hot, but, not burning. Use discretion. As the chicken thigh cooks, you will see the bottom pull away from the pan. Watch carefully at this point, as it will mean you are ready to flip. As you wait for them to be done, prep the next round of ingredients.

Chop 3 shallots (or ½ a large sweet onion) to a fine consistency. Drain your capers. Take 3 tablespoons (more if you like that flavor) and chop. Reserve the liquid from the capers, as you will use 1 tablespoon in the sauce. Zest half a lemon then juice two lemons (remember, roll the bastards first to break-up the lemon and make juicing easier and more effective). Get a bottle of white, preferably a Pinot Grigio, and pour a glass for you, a glass for your lady, and pour ¾ of a cup for the sauce.

By now, the chicken thighs should be approaching completion. You should have flipped them once, and only once. Do not poke, cut, or otherwise piece the meat. If you think it needs another minute, you are likely wrong, as thighs cook quickly. Just do not overcook. When you remove the thighs from the pan, they should be semi-stiff. Remember, they will cook for another five minutes outside the pan. The exterior should have should be crispy, not soggy.

If the pan looks dry, add a tad more olive oil. Either way, add the onions or shallots and sauté. You can also stir if you lack skills of the wrist. Once the onions have begun to become clear (but not totally clear), hit them with the capers and the caper juice, then after another quick sauté, hit the whole shebang with the wine. Deglaze the pan (meaning scrape the shit out of it with a wooden spoon to release the tasty goodness) as the wine reduces. When the wine is well reduced, hit the sauce with the lemon juice. Now, if you want a smoother sauce, you can also hit it with a ½ cup of chicken broth/stock. If you want a bit more acidity, then you hit it with nothing. Bring sauce to simmer, allow to simmer for a few minutes, then (if you want a creamier sauce) hit it with two tablespoons of butter (more if you want really creamy). Dip a spoon and taste for seasoning. Likely, you will need a pinch of salt and a few turns of the mill. Once the sauce is simmering, place the chicken back in there and turn several times to coat with sauce. Remove from heat, sprinkle the zest over the top, and serve right away.

Great with rice, as the sauce can be ladled over both the chicken and the rice. Also good with a stronger pasta (such as a pesto).

[irul&ublo]

Interesting using thighs; usually I see chicken picatta w/ breast, often pounded. The thighs would certainly be juicier.

[F.D.V.]

"Poof" in return to KQ's "poof".

Thanks KQ!

[KQ]

^^^

So, KQ, do you think you could avoid posting standard cook book recipes in my threads in the future?

Seriously though...

Uh...sure...*poof*

[telepariah]

Good call on the thighs. If you pound chicken breast you take something that already cooks too fast to be able to control really well and make it thinner so it cooks even faster. If you use pounded chicken breast, you have to be ready with everything at the start and don't even think about looking away from the pan for a moment. Anyway, it will probably be too dry.

The only other comment I have is that is way too much lemon juice. Picatta should have only a splash of lemon IMO. It's not lemon flavored chicken. It's a delicate balance of flavors.

[Tye 1on]

...*poof*

Wow, can you also wrinkle your nose, fold your arms, and make all kinds of things appear and/or go *poof*?


[was that bewitched or jeannie...]

[irul&ublo]

Wow, can you also wrinkle your nose, fold your arms, and make all kinds of things appear and/or go *poof*?


[was that bewitched or jeannie...]

She can, but she has to put on one of those hot genie outfits that Barbara Edenused to wear. I'm sure she has one.

[SorryBro]

Interesting using thighs; usually I see chicken picatta w/ breast, often pounded. The thighs would certainly be juicier.

Thighs are the way to go with most chicken recipes. I have yet to think while eating thighs, "These are too juicy and delicious. I should have used breasts."

I too think that's a little too much lemon, but to each his own. Thanks for writing that up since I'm sure there are people who don't know the joy of picatta.

[grrrr]

I really disagree about the chicken thighs vs. breast. The idea of piccata (it is piccata, not "picatta") is that it is a very fast saute. Thighs may be juicier, but they take to longer cooking styles, like roasting) better. Having tried both ways, the breast wins out.

Butterfly the breast, bread and saute very quickly. Add capers and lemon and it's done. Why make it more complicated than that?

[irul&ublo]

Breasts vs. thighs....sounds like a thread beaver needs to start.

[F.D.V.]

You are correct in regards to the spelling! JONGish style mistake on my part. My bad people.

In regards to using thighs...they are a quick saute! If they are not then you have too cool a pan. Never had a bad result with thighs.

And, in regards to why make it more complicated, it is because it is my fucking recipe, brah. If you don't like it, then don't make it. Then again, don't knock it until you try it.

I really disagree about the chicken thighs vs. breast. The idea of piccata (it is piccata, not "picatta") is that it is a very fast saute. Thighs may be juicier, but they take to longer cooking styles, like roasting) better. Having tried both ways, the breast wins out.

Butterfly the breast, bread and saute very quickly. Add capers and lemon and it's done. Why make it more complicated than that?

[Tye 1on]

Breasts vs. thighs....sounds like a thread beaver needs to start.

Why is a woman like a Kentucky Fried Chicken meal?

['forgot' the rest of it, suffice it to say it was the dirtiest joke i've ever heard a Lange Girl entrant tell at the Mangy Moose...until her next one]

[/threadjack]

and x2 on what grrrr said.

Plus, isn't this just a ripoff of a classic veal dish?

[F.D.V.]

Umm...depends on what you mean by ripoff?!?

I was working the resturant one night, we had thighs, I remembered the recipe and changed it to my liking and got great feedback from customers. I mean, if that is ripping a recipe off, then I guess it is a ripoff.

Plus, isn't this just a ripoff of a classic veal dish?

[irul&ublo]

You are correct in regards to the spelling! JONGish style mistake on my part. My bad people.

In regards to using thighs...they are a quick saute! If they are not then you have too cool a pan. Never had a bad result with thighs.

And, in regards to why make it more complicated, it is because it is my fucking recipe, brah. If you don't like it, then don't make it. Then again, don't knock it until you try it.

There is only one way to solve this:

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ALLEZ CUISINE!!!!!

[F.D.V.]

^^^^

Dude, what a most excellent idea!

Kitchen cook-off anyone? Anyone?

[Tye 1on]

Umm...depends on what you mean by ripoff?!?

I was working the resturant one night, we had thighs, I remembered the recipe and changed it to my liking and got great feedback from customers. I mean, if that is ripping a recipe off, then I guess it is a ripoff.

Didn't mean 'ripoff' to be disparaging, good food is good food. Was just pointing out that the breast/thigh discussion doesn't have an answer to classicists, because it wasn't a chicken dish...

[F.D.V.]

Touche!

Sorry if I seemed rough coming across. My recipes are my recipes, and, in my humble but well experienced opinion, I think they are pretty decent. Like all dishes, it comes down to the ingredients and execution.

I do believe that the dish did begin as veal, but, I have never looked into the subject in depth.

because it wasn't a chicken dish...

[grrrr]

Plus, isn't this just a ripoff of a classic veal dish?

"Picatta" can actually refer to a number of recipes, of which the petti di pollo recipe is the most common. In Italy you can get piccate of veal, fish, even fennel. The commonality of the recipes is a fast saute of a breaded ingredient. Capers or cucunci, lemon, parsley or wine are often added, but not necessary.


FDV - you're right. Your recipe. Pardon me for stepping on your thread.

[Tye 1on]

The commonality of the recipes is a fast saute of a breaded ingredient.

Cool, good to know!

FDV, if you are experimenting around some day, can you try a chickenfried steak picatta and report back?

[F.D.V.]

Dude...fennel!?!

Same basic process? I am curious to try this out with fennel, as I do enjoy it! Most of the time, I just have it with a nice drizzle of good olive oil and a very slight drizzle of a balsamic reduction, but, a fennel piccata sounds most interesting.

Wow, the flavor of the fennel would be something with the lemon and capers!

"Picatta" can actually refer to a number of recipes, of which the petti di pollo recipe is the most common. In Italy you can get piccate of veal, fish, even fennel. The commonality of the recipes is a fast saute of a breaded ingredient. Capers or cucunci, lemon, parsley or wine are often added, but not necessary.


FDV - you're right. Your recipe. Pardon me for stepping on your thread.

[highangle]

umm guys, 'Piccata' is Eyetie for "Sharp", and it refers to the sharp taste of the lemon+capers in the traditional veal recipe

also, olive oil, particularly EV olive oil, loses all its special yummyness when you get it hot enough to saute fast; so you can probably use canola or peanut oil, which has a much higher smoke point, without losing much (if FDV says it's ok)


and i'll second the rice call, it's pretty special when you do it like that
(damn, i thought i invented that )

[rideit]

^^ding^^

[grrrr]

umm guys, 'Piccata' is Eyetie for "Sharp", and it refers to the sharp taste of the lemon+capers in the traditional veal recipe

also, olive oil, particularly EV olive oil, loses all its special yummyness when you get it hot enough to saute fast; so you can probably use canola or peanut oil, which has a much higher smoke point, without losing much (if FDV says it's ok)


and i'll second the rice call, it's pretty special when you do it like that
(damn, i thought i invented that )

First, I don't know where you came up with the idea that piccata means "sharp". It doesn't. Piccata comes from the practice of larding thin cutlets before sauteeing them.

Piccata is a noun in Italian, not an adjective. You do not order "veal piccata", you order "piccata of veal Milanese".

Capers are a nice touch, but I've found that it's more of an American thing; many ricette di piccate in italia have lemon; capers are less common, although not unheard of.

Also, you're much more likely to find piccate made with butter than olive oil in Italy. Even so, it can be done in olive oil that is not heated to smoking. Pound the chicken breasts down to 1/8" and have them ready; you pour in the oil and immediately thrown the breasts in. They cook only for a few seconds on each side. That's the main reason I use them over thighs. When done properly, they are melt in your mouth tender that way. If you want a good olive oil flavor, saute in butter and add a splash of olive oil at the end.

As far as serving it over rice, that is up to you. It of course would not happen in Italy, as rice is served as the piatta prima; veal or chicken as the piatta seconda.

[WyoWill]

. . . Great with rice, as the sauce can be ladled over both the chicken and the rice. Also good with a stronger pasta (such as a pesto).

Isn't pesto a sauce, and not a pasta (er, noodle)? Maybe my italian in off . . .

[F.D.V.]

^^^Pesto is a sauce and definetly not pasta. And no, your Italian is not off.^^^

My father was Italian, and regardless of what sauce was on our pasta, it was pasta for dinner, that was what we called it. Bad habit I guess.