Friday, April 23, 2010

Chicken Piccata - Healthy Makeover

Hello everyone & Happy Friday!!!!!!!!!!! And I am definitely happy today, especially after a few days of going on the treadmill in the early morning before work. It's a perfect way to start the day on a good note.

It's been a while since I have done a Not So Fat Friday. If you look at my side categories on the right you'll see there are plenty more healthy recipes under this name. However, I do need to re-label as Recipes - Not So Fat Fridays but for now just go to the N's for Not So Fat Friday.

This dish was so light, fresh & just a little lemony & perfectly filling & I love having my whole grain pasta without the guilt.


CHICKEN PICCATA - HEALTHY MAKEOVER from Eating Well

{ Click for Printable Recipe }

6 oz whole grain angel hair pasta
1/3 cup all-purpose flour, divided
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
4 chicken cutlets, (3/4-1 pound total), trimmed
3 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 10-oz pkg mushrooms, sliced
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine
2 tblsp lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tblsp capers, rinsed
2 tsp butter (optional)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta & cook until just tender, 4 to 6 minutes or according to package directions. Drain & rinse.

Meanwhile, whisk 5 teaspoons flour & broth in a small bowl until smooth. Place the remaining flour in a shallow dish. Season chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt & pepper & dredge both sides in the flour. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken & cook until browned & no longer pink in the middle, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; cover & keep warm.

Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms & cook, stirring, until they release their juices & begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add garlic & wine to the pan & cook until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the reserved broth-flour mixture, lemon juice & the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer & cook, stirring, until the sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.

Stir in parsley, capers, butter & the reserved mushrooms. Measure out 1/2 cup of the mushroom sauce. Toss the pasta in the pan with the remaining sauce. Serve the pasta topped with the chicken and the reserved sauce.


{ Food for Thought }

Although I've never been a caper fan I loved them in this dish. I had them in the pantry so I wanted to use them up. If you don't want to go that route then this dish would be just as good without. I also didn't bother measuring out the sauce at the end. I just put the chicken back in with the sauce to warm through & served it all over the pasta on a large serving platter.

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I will definitely be getting around today & the next few days to catch up. I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!!!!!


Coming soon: a Banana Nutella Open Galette I recently created.

28 comments:

Kristina P. said...

I don't like capers either, but everything else sounds amazing.

Danyele Easterhaus said...

i love this...a def keeper for me and a maker for the week!

Unknown said...

This sounds WONDERFUL!! I am going to try this SOON!!

Coco said...

I adore chicken picatta. This looks perfect!!

Jessica said...

I have never had chicken picatta - think I may need to try it : ) This looks awesome!

Debby@Just Breathe said...

I've never had this, sound wonderful. Thank you for the recipe.

Nana said...

Not hot on capers but, man oh man this looks good. I have been trying to be better with my eating habits and this fills the bill.

Simple Daisy said...

GReat job on the treadmill in the am:)
This recipe looks super healthy!!!!

Ronda said...

Hi there! This looks wonderful, thanks for the idea. I cook 6 1/2 days out of 7, and am always looking for suggestions. I always ask hubby and son what dinners they want for the week when I go shopping. Same answer always--I don't care, whatever you want or "something healthy". Boy, that's a big help!
I'm not big on the whole wheat pasta either, it is a little too heavy for me. But the whole grain, Barilla, pasta I love, love, love!
Hope your well and happy, hug the big T for me. I bet he is growing like a weed! Have a great weekend.
P.S. Buying the cooler SOON!
XOXO

SimplySandi said...

Yum.. can't wait to make this!

The Blonde Duck said...

I'm so glad you did this! I've always wanted to try chicken picatta!

Scary Mommy said...

I LOVE chicken picatta. LOVE. I am totally trying this. And, I'm not a caper fan either, but in certain dishes, I can like them. But, alone? Blech!!

Unknown said...

I made piccatta a few weeks ago with tofu, loved it. I made it again last weekend. It goes great with creamy polenta.

Claremont First Ward said...

It really does look amazing.......I'm not a huge capers fan, but they go so well with light lemony glazes/sauces that I'm sure the flavor was delicious!

Tina Butler said...

I have never had chicken picatta. It looks so good all those mushrooms. I am going to have to try this.

Pam said...

It looks healthy and fantastic. I love whole wheat pasta and the sauce sounds great.

Lazaro Cooks said...

Wonderful pasta dish. So full of flavor. Great photos as well. Cheers!

FROGGITY! said...

that's so pretty! i am sure it tastes as good as it looks!

Maria said...

I love how you lightened it up!

Lula! said...

OK...I was gonna say, "Love you, but not capers..."

But then I read your note at the bottom here, so I reckon I'll print this one out and give it a shot. And I only buy whole grain pasta now. My girls don't even notice the difference any more and I feel so much better about it. Yay for feeling better!

Off to print a bunch of stuff...

tiarastantrums said...

This is my fav dish of all time!! If it is done well!

Ma What's 4 dinner said...

mmmm looks just as good as the full fat version. you're so good, i gotta get my butt back to the gym!

Alex aka Ma What's for Dinner
www.mawhats4dinner.com

Yellow Beads said...

yum yum yom. This is one of my hubby's favorite dishes! But I haven't done the "healthy" version yet! I'll try it!

Unknown said...

This looks exceptional! I made whole wheat angel hair pasta this week and neither Kaishon or Gary were happy with it. I wondered if I just kept making it if they would get used to it...

Duchess said...

I love Chicken Piccata! So excited to try it :0)

Rhondi said...

This dish looks so good. I can't wait to try it. Italian is my favorite, and I'm a huge Giada fan too. I just found your blog and love it. I'm definitely going to follow.

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