Chicken piccata with dill is a great dish for time-sensitive chefs – Orange County Register

Don’t be fooled by the elegant flavors of chic restaurants. Skillet sauces can mean survival for time-stricken home cooks. The heart of these sauces are the caramelized drips at the bottom of the pan that remain after sautéing. Adding a small amount of liquid will break up these browned bits, often wine, port or vinegar.

It’s cooked quickly. If you want – you don’t have to – you can then add broth or concentrated broth, such as. This is boiled down, and a delicious thickener like butter or cream can be added. The process occurs very quickly over medium to high heat.

Chicken piccata is an example. The wafer-thin chicken breasts cook quickly in a hot pan. After they are placed on the plates, the pan sauce is made by adding a mixture of wine, lemon juice, zest and butter. Fresh dill and parsley round out the sauce and add a welcome herbal note.

Chicken Piccata with Dill

Yield: 2 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 12 ounces)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup dry white wine

Chopped zest of 1/2 lemon

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh dill

2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley

Chef’s Notes: If desired, add 2 tablespoons drained capers to the sauce along with the wine. If you want a thicker sauce, lightly coat the chicken in flour before frying.

DIRECTIONS

1. Place chicken breasts between 2 pieces of plastic wrap, one at a time, and pound with a meat masher or the bottom of a sturdy skillet, using just enough force to gently spread the meat without tearing, until each piece is 1/4 inch is thick and about 5 inches wide and 6 inches long. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.

2. Heat olive oil in a 10- to 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until oil just begins to smoke. Using tongs, dip chicken breasts in oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side until lightly browned. Check doneness: Cut into the thickest part with a paring knife and check for color; no pink should remain. Place chicken on preheated plates.

3. Pour off any oil in the pan, leaving any browned bits in the pan, then pour in wine and stir to loosen any browned bits in the pan. Cook over medium-high heat until the wine has reduced to half its volume. Add lemon zest, juice and butter; Swirl the pan off the heat until the butter melts and combines with the sauce. Stir in the dill and parsley. Taste and add additional salt or pepper as needed. Spoon sauce over chicken.

Source: “The Herbfarm Cookbook” by Jerry Traunfeld (Scribner, $40)

Question about cooking? Contact Cathy Thomas at cathythomascooks@gmail.com