Pan-Seared Chicken Breast with Caper Lemon Sauce

Pan-Seared Chicken Breast with Caper Lemon Sauce

chicken-capers-lemon

I’m always trying to find other ways to make chicken, as we are making a conscious effort to try and eat less red meat. I have some dairy items in this recipe but they can be replaced if you are trying to stay away from it. This recipe is pretty easy and quick and goes great with roasted potatoes.

Ingredients:

  • 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (filleted and pounded) Organic preferred
  • 2 eggs
  • salt
  • 2 tbsp of lemon
  • 1 cup flour (organic preferred)
  • 2 tbsp butter (divided)

Sauce:

  • 2 tbsp butter (divided)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ cup finely chopped shallots
  • ¼ cup capers
  • 2 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 3 tbsp of fresh lemon juice
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • ½ cup cream (optional – can use a paste of four and water to thicken sauce)

Directions:

If you have whole chicken breasts, you can first remove the tenderloin first, then filet the breast. Pound out all of the pieces so they are thin, approximately ¼”. If all your pieces are the same thickness they will cook evenly and at the same time. In a mixing bowl, mix eggs, with lemon and 1 tsp of salt. Place the chicken into egg mixture. You can do this proceed before cooking, for a little extra time in the marinade. I marinated them for ½ hour.

For the sauce you will melt the butter and oil in a saucepan, add in the chopped shallots and cook on medium high heat, but be sure not to burn them. Then add in the capers and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove the capers and onions from the pan, leaving the liquids (butter/oil) in the pan. Now you can dredge the chicken breasts. I dredge them as I cook them so they don’t sit in the flour. Add 1 tbsp of butter and place the chicken pieces, spaced so they do not touch. Cook the chicken until crispy on both sides (approx. 2 minutes a side). Repeat, adding butter and additional chicken pieces. Once all pieces are cooked you place them on a platter, or warming plate. Next you will add the caper/onion mixture back into the pan, scraping up any residue on the pan. Add in the mustard and lemon stirring frequently, then the chicken broth. Cook down the mixture for 3-5 minutes. Add in the cream and stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. If you prefer to avoid the cream you can add a mixture of 1 tbsp of flour in a cup with some warm water, until you have a flour paste. You can slowly whisk this into the sauce to thicken it. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve. (Additional sauce can be placed into a gravy boat).

Serves 4

Homemade Caesar Dressing

Homemade Caesar Dressing

Homemade Caesar Dressing

Here is a simple recipe I found for homemade Caesar dressing. It’s really easy to make and this batch can last in the fridge for a few days. It’s not too fishy or garlicky.

Ingredients:

  • 4 Cloves of minced Garlic
  • 1 tsp of Anchovy Paste
  • 2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp of dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp of Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 cup of mayonnaise (favorite is Hellmann’s Real)
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (Parmigiano-Reggiano)
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together garlic, anchovy paste, lemon juice, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Add in the mayonnaise, cheese, salt and pepper and whisk until well combined. I normally add the croutons to the lettuce before adding the dressing, as it softens them up a bit. When adding dressing to your romaine lettuce, start with a small quantity. A little goes a long way, and you want to make sure your salad does not get too soggy or over dressed. You can then add thin slices of parmesan, and your sliced chicken to each plate. (I’ll be sure to include my favorite breaded chicken milanese recipe for you to try next).

Gravlax – Swedish Dill Cured Salmon

Gravlax – Swedish Dill Cured Salmon

gravlax

This is one of the few recipes my mom brought with her from Sweden. The name actually comes from the way salmon was prepared back in the old viking days. The Salmon back then with all the spices were buried in a “grave”, for curing. It is simple to prepare. It basically takes care of itself for 3-4 days.

Ingredients:

  • Two 1.5 lb. filets of salmon with skin on preferably mid-section – need to match when placed together (skin side out)
  • ½ cup (organic) sugar
  • ½ cup salt
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper (or cracked) larger chunks
  • 1 tsp ground white peppercorns
  • 3 cups of chopped dill with stems (to make a thick blanket on all sides)

Directions:

Mix sugar, salt and pepper. Rinse and pat dry the salmon filets. On a piece of tinfoil, thick blanket of dill the same size of the salmon, then you sprinkle liberally ⅓ of the salt/sugar mixture. Place first piece of salmon, with skin down. Then cover with the top of the salmon with ⅓ dill and sprinkle liberally with another ⅓ of the salt/sugar mixture. Place then next salmon filet, on top with skin to the outside. Place last ⅓ of dill and last ⅓ of the salt/sugar mixture on top of the skin of the 2nd piece. Cover with another piece of tinfoil, and seal the edges of the foil loosely so it has some air to breathe (since it’s not quite dead yet…still needs to be buried ;-). Place salmon in a plastic bag. Next place the bagged salmon in a shallow dish and add a heavy weight on top, you can use an iron skillet or flat stone if you have access to one. Place salmon with weight in the fridge for 4 days, turning over salmon once a day. When slicing the salmon be sure to slice against the grain in super thin slices.

Sauce:

Coming soon – I have to get some help from my mom on this, that has never written it down.

Marinated Salmon

Marinated Salmon

Salmon with Arugula salad

Here is a simple and easy marinade for a tasty baked salmon.

  • 2-3 lbs Wild Caught Salmon*
  • 5 garlic cloves
  • Large bunch of dill
  • 2 tbsp. of dig on mustard
  • Juice if 1 lemon
  • Rock salt
  • 1 tsp. pepper
  • ⅓ cup EVOO

Purée all ingredients in a blender with an “S-shaped” blade, until ingredients are well chopped and it forms a paste. Add marinate and to salmon in a ziplock bag, let most of the air out. Be sure to massage the mixture around the salmon so all areas are well covered. Place in the refrigerator for 3 hours. Take out and let sit at room temperature for ½ hour before baking. Bake Salmon in a baking dish covered with tinfoil or sealed tinfoil at 350 degrees, for 20 minutes or until cooked to desired temperature.

If you prefer a crispy outside and skin, you can sauté the salmon in a pan with olive or butter on high heat, this only takes a couple of minutes per side, which gives you a nice crunchy skin. Great paired with an Arugula salad, tossed with EVOO, balsamic vinegar, goat cheese crumbles and tomatoes.

*I’m not a fan of farm raised as they are “rumors” that they are fed GMO pellets!

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