Chicken scaloppine with lemon
Piccatina al limone is one of many dishes that, to me, spell ‘M-a-m-m-a’. I have made it 100 times, which is almost as many times as she has made it for me. It cannot be beaten – except by accident, when I had no parsley (which she uses) and lobbed a sprig of rosemary into the pan instead. Now, I make it with rosemary – sorry, Mum.
To drink: Gini Soave Classico 2020 has just the right amount of lemony, herbal and slightly saline character to be an excellent match for this piquant, citrussy chicken dish (£16.50; vinvm.co.uk).
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Ingredients
To serve
Preparation
Method
Step 1
Heat the oven to 70°C/fan oven 50°C/mark ½, then put a serving platter in it. Or heat to 120°C/fan oven 100°C/mark 1, but turn off the oven when you start cooking the chicken.
Step 2
Slice the chicken breasts into broad 3mmthick escalopes. If you are right-handed, lay them skin (ie smooth and shiny) side down on a board with the thicker end to the right. Laying your left hand flat on the breast, use the right to cut from right to left, making thin slices parallel to – and just under – your steadying hand. (Vice versa if you are left-handed.) Season each slice of chicken with a little salt and pepper on both sides, and dust lightly with flour on both sides.
Step 3
Heat your widest pan over a high heat. When it is hot, add the oil and a single layer of breast slices (you will need to fry them in batches). As they start to fry, add 1tbsp butter; this will help to brown the chicken faster. Do not turn until the first side of the slices is richly browned.
Step 4
When both sides of the first batch of slices are browned (after about 3 minutes), transfer them to the platter and return to the warm oven. Fry the next batch, adding a little butter as needed, but keeping back at least 30g.
Step 5
When all the chicken is browned and keeping warm in the oven, add the rosemary sprig to the pan, followed by the lemon juice, 120ml water and the remaining butter. Cook on a high heat, until you have a luscious, creamy sauce. Season to taste. If it gets too thick, add a little water.
Step 6
Take the chicken from the oven and add to the sauce. Toss to coat well, adding a splash more water if the sauce is gloopy or splits.
Step 7
Return to the platter and serve immediately, with mashed potato and sautéed spinach.
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