Chef Pamela Nevarez-Fisher in her Iron Chef stance

Pamela Nevarez-Fisher is a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier’s Austin Chapter, and is a personal chef and fitness enthusiast.

Pamela coordinates the food gleaning runs the Dames undertake each Saturday morning throughout the year. That’s where two or more members of Les Dames visit the Whole Foods Market in downtown Austin to pick up food, including fresh produce, bread, meat and other perishables that might otherwise be discarded. Then they bring those items to two feeding programs in the city where the food is served to some of Austin’s homeless and hungry.

She shared the following recipe, which is very economical and can make those of us on modest budgets feel as though we are splurging.

Chicken Piccata, Image by sassyradish via Creative Commons

This recipe serves 2.

I have made it gluten free and ‘slimmed it down’ by eliminating the flour and egg for dredging, as is called for in most popular Piccata recipes.

Ingredients

• 2 split (1 whole) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
• 1Tbsp. finely chopped shallots
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• 3 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup brined capers
• 3 Tbsp.chopped Italian parsley

Directions

 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound out to 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Place them on the sheet pan and allow them to bake for 5 to 10 minutes while you make the sauce.

For the sauce,  melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and add the shallots and cook five minutes or until softened. Add garlic, and saute until fragrant, but do not let it brown. Add lemon juice, wine, stock, and capers. Simmer over medium heat until reduced in half, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter with a wire whisk. Add chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon sauce over chicken breasts and serve.