Monday, January 16, 2012

Chicken with Lemon Caper Cream Sauce

My hat's off to Olive Garden for two recipes mixed to make one. This super simple dish will fool anyone into thinking that you're a master chef!

4 chicken breast, or 8 chicken tenders
1 C flour
2 t salt
2 t pepper
2 t Italian seasoning
3 T olive oil

1/4 c olive oil
2 T capers, drained
2 T minced garlic
Juice of 2 lemons
1 lemon, sliced
1/4 C white wine
2 C heavy cream
1 T fresh parsley, chopped

8 oz cooked pasta (spaghetti, angel hair pasta, etc...)


Pre-heat oven to 350 deg F. I took the chicken breasts and sliced them in half. You may also use whole chicken breast or tenders, whatever you wish to showcase. Heat 3 T olive oil in a frying pan over med-high heat. Pat dry the chicken. Mix flour, salt, pepper, and Italian Seasoning. Mix chicken in dry mixture and fry in oil until both sides are browned (2-3 min each side roughly, it will not be fully cooked). You may have to brown in batches, adding oil as needed. Transfer chicken to a cookie sheet and cook 15-20 minutes or until internal temp reads 170 deg.

While chicken is baking:
Heat water for pasta. Add salt and pasta and cook as directed. Drain.

Heat 1/4 C oil in a deep frying pan. Saute garlic and capers for 30-45 seconds. Add lemon juice and wine. Cook until sauce is reduced by half. Add cream and parsley. Cook until sauce has thickened - just a few minutes. Add lemon slices and cooked pasta. Mix.

You can prepare the served dish a couple different ways. One beautiful ways is to pour the pasta onto a large, oval dish or a large corning wear piece. Lay the chicken on top on an angle and sprinkle with some parsley (chopped or whole). If you want to plate it for your guests/family: spoon the pasta onto the dish then lay 1-2 chicken pieces, one slightly on top of the other. For children you can take the chicken pieces and halve them again to make a "sun". Or you can serve it buffet style and let them plate their own pasta and chicken.

Serve with the extra white wine (legal age, of course).

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