Chicken piccata with zucchini ribbons and orzo

[rosefox]

I am all full of chicken piccata and disinclined to finish my article, even though I am literally past the 95% mark. Instead, I post the recipe, originally from Cook's Illustrated (one of the few places I'm willing to pay for online content, because their recipes are just that good).

Zucchini ribbons and orzo:

1) Start water heating to boil.
2) Quarter three zucchini and use a vegetable peeler, mandoline, or single-blade side of a box grater to turn them into long flat ribbons.
3) When water is boiling, salt it, put two cups of orzo in it, and bring it back to a boil. Set a timer for the orzo according to the cooking instructions on the package.
4) Over the top of the pot place a metal mesh splatter guard. Pile the zucchini ribbons on top of the mesh, making sure to keep them within the circumference of the pot, and cover them with a large upturned metal bowl. Ideally the bowl will be big enough that the steam can circulate under it and heat the zucchini from above as well as below.
5) Every few minutes, carefully lift the bowl (which is very hot!) and toss/stir the zucchini around so they're evenly exposed to the steam.
6) When the timer goes off, make sure the orzo is done, put the zucchini into the bowl, and drain the orzo. Return the orzo to the pot.

This can all be done before you get started on the chicken. I recommend that approach, since then you don't have to do too many things at once.

Chicken piccata:

1) Preheat oven to 200F. Line an ovenproof dish or baking pan with aluminum foil and put it in the oven on the middle rack. Measure out 1/2 cup of flour into a pan or shallow bowl for dredging the chicken. Scrub a lemon thoroughly and cut it into half-circle slices; remove seeds. Squeeze another lemon or two to make a scant quarter-cup of lemon juice. Measure out one cup of chicken broth or stock and put the lemon slices in it. Measure out and drain 3 tbsp of capers and put them in the lemon juice. Finely dice one shallot. Leave 3 tbsp of butter out to soften. Chop up some parsley.
2) Horizontally slice three chicken breasts (about 1.5 lb. total) to make thin cutlets. Rinse them and pat them dry with paper towels.
3) Salt and pepper the cutlets generously on both sides. Dredge them in flour.
4) Heat a metal (not nonstick) saucepan over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes. Put in two tbsp of oil and swirl to coat the pan. When the oil is shimmering, add half the chicken. Cook the chicken without moving it for 2.5 minutes on each side; each piece should be lightly and evenly browned on both sides. Remove the chicken to the pan in the oven and repeat with the other pieces of chicken, adding more oil if necessary.
5) Once the chicken is all in the oven, put the diced shallot into the pan and fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in stock and lemon slices, turn heat to high, scrape all the browned bits off the bottom of the pan, and simmer 4-5 minutes, until liquid is reduced to about 1/3 cup. Add lemon juice and capers and simmer for another minute. Add the butter and swirl it around until it melts and thickens the sauce. Pick out the lemon slices and stir in the parsley. Taste and add other seasonings if you want.
6) Turn heat down to low and add the zucchini ribbons; stir them until they're soaking in the sauce, and turn the heat off as soon as they're heated through and starting to get limp. You really don't want to overcook them.

If you need to, briefly rinse the orzo in boiling water to reheat it. Make a bed of orzo on a plate; place a chicken cutlet on top of it; spoon zucchini and sauce over it; call it dinner and put it in your belly.

I thought we overdid it with the lemon juice, and next time I'd probably use less. It also benefited a lot from fresh-ground pepper added at the table. Next time I might put tarragon in the sauce as well.

Serves three hungry people or six who are more willing to pace themselves. We ended up calling it two big dinners and two smaller lunches. I bet it'll be good cold, too.

(crossposted to my journal)

Comments

[zarhooie]

Mmmmmmm I <3 chicken piccata. When I make it (or something vaugely resembling it except with white wine and lemon juice instead of capers), I always use a kitchen mallet to smash the chicken breasts flat. It's a personal preference, but you might want to try it.

[rosefox]

My arms are often gimpy, so much as I would love to smash things with mallets, I should probably abstain.

[zarhooie]

Yeah, gimpy arms would sort of prevent that from being a good idea. <3

[karohemd]

That's a neat way of steaming veg, thanks for the suggestion. I've used a sieve inside the pasta pot with a lid on top before but the sieve would often touch the contents of the pot.
I want one of those splatter guards, anyway.

[rosefox]

It works best if you have a small amount of vegetables and can just spread them on the screen in a single thin layer.

[karohemd]

That makes sense. Or for stuff that doesn't need long, like broccoli florets.