Chicken Piccata

Last night, I made chicken piccata.

The recipe was actually named "Easy Chicken Piccata", 

but I'm not really sure it was that easy.

There was a lot involved.

I started with these items.

The recipe called for 4 chicken breasts, 

but my are very small 6oz portions, 

so I used 6.  The recipe also called for chicken 

broth which isn't pictured :)

First, you have to smash up the crackers.

This is my helper, Mo, doing the smashing.

  

I coated the chicken breasts with mayonnaise. 

Then coat in the crushed crackers.

Heat some olive oil in a pan and put the chicken in there 

for a few minutes on each side, until golden brown.

I had to add a little more oil when I flipped them.

 A little of the cracker crumb stuff fell off.

Oh well.

When the chicken was cooked, I transferred 

it to a platter and put it in my oven 

on very low heat just to keep warm. 

 

Next, I had to slice and juice some lemons.

The recipe said to use 3, but I only

had 2 and they were very juicy.

I usually snack while I'm cooking.

This is what I snacked on tonight.

Sugar snap peas and roasted red pepper 

hummus.  Both from Walmart :)

Russell talked to a nutritionist lady last week that 

told him we should eat a pound of vegetables a day!!!  

That's a lot!!  So, I'm trying to get 

them in whenever possible.

Then I put the lemon juice and chicken broth in my 

pan and heated it for about 5 minutes on medium heat.

I made chicken pot pie a few weeks ago and 

ended up with a lot of chicken broth.  I put it in the 

freezer and I pulled some out for this recipe.

Then, I added the lemon slices, butter, capers, and some 

chopped up marinated artichoke hearts that were not 

in my recipe but I wanted them in there.

Recipe called for more capers, but I think they're 

kinda weird, so I didn't put that many in.

I heated that just until the butter melted 

and then poured it over the chicken.

I was supposed to add parsley at this point, but I forgot.

 

Russell bought me this asparagus steamer 

pot many years ago.  Isn't it neat?

I bought this rosemary and sea salt focaccia bread at Sams. 

It tasted just like the bread at Macaroni Grill!!

I had it warming in the oven with the chicken.

I also made mashed potatoes from a box :P

The finished product.

 My plate.

So.... The kids hated the chicken.  They said it 

was too lemony.  I kind of agree.

I could have added more broth or less lemon, 

or both.  Russell like it though.

  

The kids devoured the potatoes from the box :P

*

Here's the recipe:

Chicken Piccata

 4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts

4 large lemons

1/4 cup mayonaisse

1 cup crushed Ritz crackers (about 20 crackers)

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp capers

1 small jar chopped artichoke hearts (optional)

Coat chicken with mayo, then the cracker crumbs.  Heat oil in a large skillet on medium high heat and add the chicken.  Cook about 5 minutes on each side until golden brown.  Transfer to a platter and add parsley.  Remove any crumbs from the skillet.  Cut a few lemon slices from 1 of the lemons and juice the rest. Add lemon juice and broth to skillet and cook on med-high heat for about 5 minutes.  Add butter, lemon slices, capers and artichokes.  Cook and stir on low heat until butter is melted.  Serve over chicken.