Chicken Picatta with Asparagus

Tonight I made a quick family favorite dinner; chicken picatta with asparagus. This dish has always been a hit; the lemony sauce and the briny capers are the stars here. A perfect way to change up your ‘same old’ chicken while making a different pasta dish. This dish is surprisingly light and a great warm evening dish when you may not want a big heavy meal. It is also quick to prepare – another benefit on those warm Summer evenings and who would have thought you could get so much flavor from such a simple dish! Perhaps that is one reason this dish is a regular menu item in Italian restaurants. And who can blame them… I certainly can’t. Yet, I love to enjoy this tasty restaurant regular dish at home as there is something very satisfying about it. So give this one a try, you won’t regret it.

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Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 1

Ingredients

8 - 10 oz chicken breast, sliced into ½ inch medallions
4 oz pasta (farfalle, campagnelle, etc)
2 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced
4 oz fresh asparagus, cut into 2 inch sections
1½ tbsp capers, drained
1 tbsp garlic, roughly chopped (approximately 1 large clove)
½ tsp basil
2 tbsp all purpose flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
½ cup chicken broth, divided
juice of 1 lemon and zest of same
4 tsp olive oil, divided
1 tbsp butter, divided
shredded Italian cheese blend for garnish (optional)
red pepper flakes for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Cook the pasta per the package instructions, reducing the cooking time by 1 minute before draining.
Sprinkle the salt and pepper over both sides of the chicken breast medallions.
Coat with the flour, shaking off excess.
Add half the chicken broth to the remaining flour and set aside.
In a medium saute pan over Medium heat, add the olive oil.
When the oil begins to shimmer, add half the butter.
When the butter stops bubbling, swirl the pan to combine.
Add the chicken to the pan, cooking on each side approximately 3 - 4 minutes until a light browning occurs.
When both sides of the chicken has been cooked, remove to a plate and cover with foil.
Add the mushrooms to the remaining oil in the saute pan and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the asparagus and cook for approximately 2 minutes(shorter if thin, longer if thicker).
Add the garlic and basil, cooking for 1 minute.
Increase the heat to High/Medium High and whisk the chicken broth/flour mixture before adding to the pan.
Bring the sauce to a strong simmer before adding the lemon juice, approximately 1 minute.
Stir and check if the sauce is slightly thickened.
Add additional chicken broth if more sauce is desired or it needs to be thinned.
Add the chicken back to the pan and nestle into the sauce.
Sprinkle the lemon zest on top of the chicken, then top with the cooked pasta.
Remove from the heat and spread the capers and small sections of the remaining butter around the pan.
Stir gently to combine and melt the butter into the sauce.
Serve with shredded Italian cheese and/or red pepper flakes, if desired.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 1104 Fat: 43g Saturated fat: 13g Unsaturated fat: 18g Trans fat: 0g Carbohydrates: 117g Sugar: 7g Sodium: 2171mg Fiber: 13g Protein: 76g Cholesterol: 169mg

Cook the pasta per the package instructions, reducing the cooking time by 1 minute before draining. Sprinkle the salt and pepper over both sides of the chicken breast medallions. Coat with the flour, shaking off excess. Add half the chicken broth to the remaining flour and set aside. In a medium saute pan over Medium heat, add the olive oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, add half the butter. When the butter stops bubbling, swirl the pan to combine. Add the chicken to the pan, cooking on each side approximately 3 – 4 minutes until a light browning occurs.

When both sides of the chicken has been cooked, remove to a plate and cover with foil.

Add the mushrooms to the remaining oil in the saute pan and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the asparagus and cook for approximately 2 minutes(shorter if thin, longer if thicker).

Add the garlic and basil, cooking for 1 minute.

Increase the heat to High/Medium High and whisk the chicken broth/flour mixture before adding to the pan. Bring the sauce to a strong simmer before adding the lemon juice, approximately 1 minute.

Stir and check if the sauce is slightly thickened. Add additional chicken broth if more sauce is desired or it needs to be thinned. Add the chicken back to the pan and nestle into the sauce.

Sprinkle the lemon zest on top of the chicken, then top with the cooked pasta. Remove from the heat and spread the capers and small sections of the remaining butter around the pan. Stir gently to combine and melt the butter into the sauce.