Memorie di Angelina: “This is basically a chicken breast piccata but one where you first dip the chicken breasts in a light egg batter and pan-fry them to a golden brown before simmering them in a sauce of wine, chicken broth and lemon. The savory egg batter and lemony sauce really do wonders for the rather bland flavor of the chicken breasts.”

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

• 4 skinless chicken breasts
• Flour. (NYT recipe: 1 cup)
• 2 eggs
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil (NYT recipe: 1/3 cup olive oil, 1/3 cup vegetable oil)

For the sauce:

• 1/2 lemon, sliced into thin rounds
• A splash of dry white wine
• 500ml (2 cups) chicken broth, preferably homemade
• Juice of 1/2 lemon, or to taste
• 1 Tb butter 
• 1 Tb flour
• Salt and pepper

To finish the dish:

• Finely minced parsley

Directions

With a sharp kitchen knife, cut each chicken breast lengthwise in two thin cutlets. Take each scallop and pound it gently to thin it out a bit further. Trim off any gristle or rough edges. 

Dredge each chicken cutlet in flour, seasoned generously with salt and pepper, and then dip it in the egg to coat lightly. 

In a large skillet, over moderate heat, brown the chicken cutlets on both sides in olive oil and set aside. 

(NYT: Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, lightly dredge the chicken in flour and shake off any excess. Dip into egg batter, let excess batter drip back into the bowl and place in the skillet. Fry, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Adjust the heat as the cutlets cook so they brown slowly and evenly, with a steady bubbling. Transfer to the paper-towel-lined pan and repeat with remaining cutlets.)

(NYT: When all cutlets are browned, remove the pan from the heat and pour off the oil. Return the pan to low heat.) 

Add a splash of white wine to the skillet and let it evaporate almost entirely, then add the chicken broth. Let everything simmer for a few minutes so the flavors meld. Add the flour, kneaded together with the butter into a small ball and whisk it into the liquid, which should thicken into a sauce like consistency. Add the chicken cutlets back into the skillet, along with the lemon slices, and let everything simmer in the sauce for a minute or two to warm up. If need be, add more broth or water so you have ample sauce for napping the cutlets, but they shouldn’t ‘swim’ in it.

At the last moment, taste and adjust the sauce for seasonings, then drizzle in the lemon juice. 

Serve the chicken cutlets hot, napped with the sauce and garnished with the lemon slices and minced parsley.

Note: Absolutely delicious, however, rather messy. Whenever I’ve made it, the stove needs a good cleaning afterward. If you don’t mind the cleanup, you will love this dish.

Also, taste before adding lemon juice.