Chicken Piccata

Recipe adapted from Jeanne Benedict's Sophisticated Entertaining.

When trying to please a crowd, choose a favorite chicken dish like this piccata recipe.

Ingredients:

12 boneless. skinless half chicken breasts

1 Cup all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon salt

1 Teaspoon pepper

Olive oil

Piccata Sauce:

1/2 Cup butter

1 Tablespoon olive oil

3 shallots, cut into slivers

3 tablespoons capers

1 Cup Pinot Grigio

1/4 Cup fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Pound chicken breast with a kitchen mallet to 1/4-inch thickness. Toss together flour, salt, and pepper, and place on a dinner plate. Coat chicken in flour mixture.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Cook 4 - 5 chicken breasts at a time in skillet until flour coating is lightly browned, about 3-5 minutes on each side. Repeat process with remaining chicken breasts adding 1 tablespoon of oil for every batch. Place chicken in shingled rows in a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until a half hour before serving.

Make Piccata Sauce immediately after chicken is browned. In same skillet, add 1/4 cup butter, oil, and shallots, and cook over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add capers and wine, and cook until wine reduces to 1/2, about 3 -5 minutes. Add lemon juice, and cook for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat, and swirl in remaining butter, 2 tablespoons at a time. Drizzle sauce over chicken in baking pan. Cover and return to refrigerator until ready to use. Chicken may be prepared up to this point on the morning of the event and then, fully cooked and served in the evening.

About 30 minutes before serving, preheat over to 325 degrees. Uncover pan(s) of chicken and place in oven. Cook for about 15 minutes until chicken is no longer pink in the center. Arrange on a large platter and spoon Piccata Sauce from pan over top. Serve hot.

Makes 6 servings