Have you ever heard the saying, “The things you own, end up owning you”? I heard that once from one of my Southern California hippie friends who shared a studio apartment and had lawn chairs for furniture. I might have looked down my nose at that comment a few days ago, but I suddenly understand it all. After these last two weeks, I have understood so clearly the pros of only having a lawn chair couch and a dream. You guys, WE HAVE SO MUCH F’N STUFF. We’re close to the end, but we have been unpacking, organizing, setting-up for daaaaaaaaays.
I’m finally in a place where I can take a few moments to make some dinner and share the ridiculousness of my life with you (albeit, dinner was eaten on TV trays surrounded by packing paper and boxes). But regardless, it’s good to be back in the saddle. I wanted to share a recipe I made right before we left San Diego when we had a few friends over. It was bright and super flavorful. A perfect Friday evening meal with your lova or your favorite ‘Bachelor’-watching gal pal.
- 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- 1 c panko bread crumbs, or ½ cup flour
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
- 2T coconut or grape seed oil
- 3T butter, unsalted and divided
- 2 medium lemons
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 2 c chicken stock (I use low sodium)
- 1 T chicken stock concentrate (located next to the broth in the grocery store)
- 2 T capers, drained
- 3 T parsley, finely chopped and divided
- Heat oven to 180 degrees
- Juice one whole lemon, reserving juice. Cut the second lemon from pole to pole and cut off the end pieces. Fruit side down, slice ONE lemon half into very slender slices, reserve. Use the other cut half for additional juice to make ¼ cup of fresh lemon juice or plate garnish.
- Butterfly each chicken breast into two pieces, then cut each piece in half. Pound chicken to about ½ inch thick. Dry chicken thoroughly with paper towels. Salt and pepper both sides lightly.
- In a large skillet, add 2 Tbsp oil and 2 Tbsp butter. Heat to medium high. Dredge chicken pieces in panko bread crumbs or flour. Fry half the chicken pieces until browned, about 2 minutes. Flip chicken pieces and brown on the other side for an additional few minutes until they are cooked through. Add the remaining 2 Tbsp oil and 2 Tbsp butter for the second batch of chicken and repeat. Plate the pieces as they cook, wrap with foil and keep in a warm oven. NOTE: If chicken is browning too quickly, reduce heat to avoid burning.
- While chicken stays warm in oven, add the shallots to the skillet. If more butter is needed to sautee the shallots, feel free to add a bit. Stir quickly for about a minute until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and stir for another 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chicken broth, stock concentrate, lemon juice and lemon slices. Bring liquid to a simmer and continue simmering until the broth reduces to about 1½ cups – around 10 minutes. Add the capers and parsley to the stock, then add 3 TBS of the remaining butter and swirl the pan off the heat until the butter is melted. Plate the chicken and ladle the sauce on top. Sprinkle with a bit of leftover parsley if you wish.
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