Chicken Scallopini A La Lemon Basil Recipes

CHICKEN SCALOPPINE WITH LEMON

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200 degrees. Slice each chicken thigh open like a book and lay it flat between two sheets of plastic wrap. Using a meat pounder, a wine bottle or the bottom of a heavy skillet, pound each piece of chicken to 1/4-inch thickness. Put two large skillets over medium-high heat for a minute or 2. Meanwhile, sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and put the flour and bread crumbs on two plates or in two shallow bowls. Beat the eggs in another shallow bowl. Sprinkle all with salt and pepper.
• Add 1 tablespoon each oil and butter to each skillet and swirl it around. When it is hot - a pinch of flour will sizzle - dredge a piece of the chicken in the flour, then dip it in the eggs and finally dredge it in the bread crumbs. Add the chicken piece to one of the pans, then repeat with another piece in the second pan. (You may be able to fit more than one paillard in each pan at a time.)
• Cook the chicken, rotating occasionally and regulating the heat if necessary so it sizzles constantly but doesn't burn. When the pieces are brown, after about 2 minutes, turn them over.
• Cook on the second side until the chicken is firm to the touch, 1 to 2 minutes. (Cut into one with a thin-bladed knife; the center should be white or slightly pink.) Transfer the chicken to a platter and put it in the oven. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel and repeat with the remaining chicken, adding more oil and butter to each skillet as necessary.
• When all the chicken is cooked, turn off the heat under one of the skillets. Add a tablespoon or 2 more oil or butter to the other pan if it looks dry and sprinkle the fat with 2 teaspoons of the remaining flour. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the wine and stir and scrape the pan until the wine has reduced by about half, about 1 minute. Add the stock and lemon juice and cook, stirring, until the mixture is slightly thickened and a bit syrupy, another 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add 1 tablespoon butter and swirl the pan around until it melts. Add any juices that have accumulated around the cooked chicken, along with the 1/4 cup parsley. Stir, taste and adjust the seasoning. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, garnish with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

LEMON BASIL CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place chicken breasts on a cutting board. Flatten slightly using the smooth side of a meat mallet. Dust both sides lightly with flour.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until bubbling. Saute chicken breasts until lightly browned, about 3 minutes per side. Add chicken stock, lemon juice, basil, and lemon zest. Cover and simmer until chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 10 minutes.
• Transfer chicken to a warm platter. Cover loosely to keep warm. Boil remaining liquid over high heat, uncovered, until reduced to 1/2 cup. Spoon sauce over chicken.

CHICKEN SCALLOPINI

Steps:

• In a small bowl, stir together the garlic and butter until well combined. Set aside. Place a chicken breast half on a work surface with the thick side facing to the right (if you're right-handed), and place your left hand down on the chicken breast. Using a very sharp knife, carefully cut the chicken breast from the thick side to about 1/2 inch from the edge of the thin side, in a horizontal cut. Open the cut chicken breast and spread it out like an open book. Using a meat mallet, gently pound the butterflied chicken breast out until it's an even thickness.
• Place the flour into a shallow dish, and dredge each chicken breast on both sides with flour. Melt the garlic butter in a large skillet over medium heat until it stops foaming, and cook each chicken breast until golden brown on both sides, 6 to 8 minutes per side. Sprinkle each breast with salt and pepper. Remove the chicken breasts to a platter, and keep warm.
• Cook and stir the mushrooms in the same skillet as the chicken until the mushrooms have absorbed the remaining butter in the skillet and have begun to turn brown at the edges. Stir in capers, lemon juice, white wine, and chicken demi-glace, and stir to combine. Reduce to a simmer. Adjust salt and pepper again, and stir the parsley into the sauce.
• Remove the chicken breasts to plates, and serve the sauce over the chicken. Garnish each serving with a lemon slice.

CHICKEN SCALOPPINI WITH LEMON-CAPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Put the flour in a large shallow dish and season with the salt and pepper. Pat the chicken scaloppini dry with paper towels, then put them in the flour, coating the chicken on both sides. Set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a 14-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the floured chicken and cook, in batches if needed, until deeply golden, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to a wire rack-lined sheet tray.
• Reduce the heat under the same cast-iron skillet and add the onion, garlic and rosemary. Stir occasionally and cook until the onions are translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the butter and capers and scrape the skillet as the butter melts to deglaze. Add the chicken stock and lemon juice, stirring to combine. Add the chicken pieces back to warm through and allow the sauce to reduce, another 2 to 3 minutes, spooning the sauce over the chicken to coat.
• Garnish with the lemon supremes and serve.

LEMON CHICKEN SCALLOPINI WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until well-browned on both sides and meat is cooked thoroughly. Remove chicken from the skillet and cover.
• Stir the stock (or broth), garlic, lemon juice and zest, and soup in the skillet. Add the spinach. Cook and stir until the spinach is wilted.
• Return the chicken to the skillet with the other ingredients.
• This is delicious served over mashed potatoes, rice or pasta.