Chicken Picata with Caprese Salad

Manga! Manga! Somewhere in my late teens I grew a deep desire for something more at dinner time, now to say more would mean, more than some mystery helper or the latest $0.99 craze at the local drive-thru.  I have since discovered that there very well may be a small Italian grandmother living in my food soul; she yearns to feed all those around her an is never too far from a bundle of fresh garlic or a bottle of extra virgin olive oil.  On this night Chicken Picata was the star of the show.

Chicken Picata:

2 to 3 large chicken breasts (washed, trimmed and butterflied)
1 cup of all-purpose flour (for dredging)
4 to 5 leaves of fresh basil
6 Tablespoons of chopped parsley
3 cloves of fresh garlic
1 lemon zested

Once the chicken has been washed and trimmed season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

On a large plate pour out your all-purpose flour and add all of the following items.
2 Tablespoons of chopped parsley
3 cloves of grated garlic
Zest of one lemon

Lightly dredge (fancy word for dip or coat) each breast in the well incorporated flour mixture - shake off the excess flour

In a large non-stick skillet heat 2 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Oil Oil and 1 Tablespoon of Butter
(My skillet as able to hold 3 breasts at a time without overcrowding, this is very important or the chicken will not cook properly and pink chicken is definitely a party fowl!!)

Sear the chicken breasts on both sides until you reach a deep golden color, saute until they are cooked all the way through. Repeat until all chicken has cooked, remove from pan and place on a clean plate. Leave all drippings in the saute pan,
add 1/2 cup white wine (pair it with a nice bottle you would like to accompany your meal)
1/4 cup fresh Lemon juice
2 teaspoons of fresh grated garlic
4 Tablespoons of brined capers (drained and rinsed)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Heat to a boil and allow to thicken and reduce, making sure to scrape all of the goodness from the bottom of the pan
Return the chicken to the sauce, add 2 Tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes

Serve over a bed of freshly prepared angel hair pasta

Salads and my husband are not always the best of friends, however this is a definite favorite of his.

Caprese Salad:
1 pound of FRESH mozzarella cheese
2 to 3 medium vine ripened tomatoes
8 to 12 fresh basil leaves
Extra Virgin Oil for drizzling
Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Lay the slices of mozzarella out on a platter
One basil leaf per slice of cheese
Add one tomato to the stack
Drizzle with EVOO
Salt and Pepper to taste

That's it, super simple, elegant and delicious.  Ciao Bella foodies!!