Old Favorite Revisited: Chicken Piccata ( or adapt for Flounder Picatta)
I’ve always loved this dish; I don’t know why I haven’t made it in over 35 years! I watched a clip of Ina Garten make hers, and it looked perfect. I think I loved it even more than Benji did- he ate 3 whole cutlets! (I wasn’t far behind with 2). This chicken is better than anything you could get out in NYC!
Measure ingredients for sauce- ⅓ cup lemon juice (2 lemons about), ½ cup dry white wine- I used Relax Riesling, and I’d use that again as sauce was perfection
1 lb. thin cutlets from Mccaffreys (or 1 lb. flounder fillets- 3 large ones)
Bowl with 1 extra lg egg mixed with 1- 2 t. Water.
Pan with whole foods seasoned bread crumbs (I used unseasoned for the flounder to which I added kosher salt and pepper
Each cutlet both sides in egg, bread crumbs. Sprinkle breaded cutlets with more black pepper. Let sit for 15 min.
Big farberware frying pan for the chicken, or large nonstick pan for the flounder or the chicken- oil to coat bottom- half extra virgin olive oil, and half safflower oil.
I used all safflower oil for the chicken. I heated up the pan first, then added the oil.
Oil hot- fry chicken 3 cutlets or 2 large pieces of flounder at a time, nicely browned on both sides. No draining needed. While making 2nd batch , put 3 cutlets in 300 degree oven to keep hot.
Pour oil out, and clean pan with paper towel as best you can and put in 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in pan, melt, add the ½ cup wine (⅓ cup wine is fine if you don’t have enough wine) and the lemon juice (⅓ cup), about ½ t. Kosher salt, and 10 cracks of black pepper, boil for about 2 min. Till starts to reduce and darken in color a little. Take off heat, and add 1 ½ T. unsalted butter, and use wooden spoon to swirl into sauce.
Pour sauce over chicken or flounder on pretty platter.
My preference for the flounder is to use none of the sauce- I just sprinkle loads of lemon juice over it and eat it with tartar or remoulade sauce.
Serve with Near East original rice pilaf or baked potato and peas or roasted asparagus spears.
Variation for the flounder coating to try: Season flounder with kosher salt and pepper, dip in flour and then dip in 1 egg mixed with 1 teaspoon water mixture. Then coat on both sides with mixture of 2/3 cup panko crumbs and 1/3 cup parmesan cheese.
