"Chicken pepper picata" by Winemaker's Journal | Local news, sports, weather, blogs, opinion, crime, obituaries, business, directory, marketplace, education, high school, family, shopping, arts, entertainment, movies, books, cooking, auto, real estate, jobs, classifieds, photos, videos, comics, contests, and mountain pass webcams from Wenatchee, East Wenatchee, Chelan, Leavenworth, Waterville, Cashmere, Quincy, Entiat, North Central Washington newspaper

Chicken pepper picata

Blog: Winemaker's Journal

February 5, 2010

Here's another dish to stretch your budget and not your waistline. It's one of my all-time favorites and a great match with that Serience viognier/roussanne blend I've been drinking.

Let's call it chicken pepper picata. Chicken picata is pounded chicken breast sauteed with lemon. It's delicious in many variations. I think thin sliced bell or pimento pepper goes great with either chicken breast or fish cooked this way. It adds sweetness as a counterpoint to the lemon, and wonderful color. I always try to have a couple green, red and yellow bells around. I grow my own in the summer, but you can often find them two or three for a dollar at the store even in the winter.

I start cooking the thin strips of pepper first in a little olive oil while I'm getting the chicken ready. A half a chicken breast per person is plenty. Skin and bone the breasts if you didn't buy them that way. I put one at a time in two layers of butcher paper or in a plastic bag and pound them flat with a rolling pin. A bottle of wine works too. You want the breast to be one-quarter to one-half inch thick. It just takes a few whacks to knock them into submission.

I dredge them in a little flour, salt and pepper and then toss them one or two at a time into the skillet, which should be set at medium heat. You can remove the peppers for awhile or just push them to the side of the pan. Just brown the breasts a minute or two on each side, then take them out and put them on a plate. Don't cook them all the way yet. We're just searing the outside.

I add a little more olive oil and then a crushed clove or two of garlic, some chopped scallion and a few sliced mushrooms. When everything is soft and savory, you can splash in a little of that wine. I either add about four ounces of wine and a cube of chicken boullion, or if I don't want to share my wine with the chicken, I add about an ounce and a few ounces of canned chicken stock, more, of course, if you're cooking for a few people.

When the sauce starts to boil, put the chicken breasts back in. Squeeze about a half a lemon on top, again more if you have several pieces in there. Capers are good if you have some to top the chicken. Now put a lid on the pan, turn the heat to medium low and let it cook. After a few minutes take the lid off and test the chicken. Don't overcook it. The breasts should still be moist in the center. Take it out when it's done. Taste the sauce. Add more lemon if you want it more tangy. Boil another minute or two to thicken slightly.

When it's done, scoop the peppers and sauce on the chicken for an art dish. I had some beautiful asparagus when I cooked this the other night. I sauteed them in another pan with a clove of garlic and a sprinkling of kosher salt until just slightly soft. A big piece of steamed broccoli with lemon also makes a great side if you'd rather forgo the asparagus. That was all I needed. Except for another glass of that wine.

Want to comment on this story? All Wenatchee World members are invited to comment on stories, by using the form below. Please know that we at wenatcheeworld.com hope our site is useful, entertaining and civil. So we'll delete comments that are obscene, abusive or way off topic. We appreciate it when readers use the "suggest removal" button to flag inappropriate comments. For more about interacting with the site, see our Use Policy.

BLOGS