Live & Learn: Leftover Chicken Piccata, Not So Good

We started a new lunch routine about 6 months ago, which killed two birds with one stone:  Manage calorie intake, but still spend Sunday afternoons cooking.  So, instead of making a big rich meal on Sundays, we (I) started making a week's worth of lunches.  For the most part, it's worked out great.  We've done various big salads, turkey chili, beef stew, any number of variations of pasta.  All delicious, all week long.

But this week, we tried to get cute. 

"How about some sort of lemony chicken with just regular green beans?"  Mark suggested.  Done.  Eight servings of a beautiful lemon chicken piccata with toasted pine nuts, steamed green beans, and roasted fingerling potatoes.  All for about 6 points a serving.   

On Sunday, they were beautiful.  Lunch on Monday, not too bad.  By Tuesday's lunch, I had to call Mark and apologize.  Two-day old chicken piccata sucks.  But, the green beans and fingerlings were still good.  Better luck next week.


Chicken Piccata with Toasted Pine Nuts, Green Beans and Fingerlings

*Live and Learn:  Only make as much of this as you will eat that day.  Also, two things I don't believe in:  Cold water baths for veggies, and pounding chicken.  I've done neither in this recipe. 

Ingredients:
2 boneless chicken breasts, butterflied OR Perdue's pre-scallopined (if that's a word)
Salt and Pepper

Olive Oil

Pine nuts, a handful

Capers, drained

2 lemons, juice and zest

Cooking sherry or white wine (about 1 cup)

Green beans, fresh, ends trimmed

Fingerling potatoes, about 3-5 per person, sliced in half.

Preheat oven to 400 (or 425 for normal ovens).  Toss halved fingerlings in a bit of olive oil and roast in the oven for 20 minutes.   Meanwhile...  Boil water for the green beans. 

It's taken me ten years to figure out how to adequately saute a chicken breast.  Here's what I've learned.  Preheat the oil pan in between medium and medium high.  Just enough oil to cover.  This is critical.  Rinse the breasts under water and pat dry with a paper towel.  Sprinkle with lots of salt and pepper.  Saute the breasts 5 minute each side.  Don't be tempted to flip or check before 5.  That's it.

Remove the chicken to a plate.  Add the pine nuts and toast for about 2 minutes.  Watch them so they don't burn.  Add the capers, as much as you like.  Deglaze with the sherry, about 1 cup.  Add the lemon juice and zest.  Mix together to combine and let boil for a minute.  Reduce heat to simmer and add the chicken.  Simmer covered for 20 minutes. 

Next, boil the the green beans for 5 minutes, drain, splash some cold water over them.  Set aside.

Taste the sauce.  Add salt and pepper.  If it's too lemony or too winey, add some chicken stock or water.  If you like a thicker sauce, ladel a bit of the sauce into a bowl, stir in a tablespoon or so of corn starch, and then add that mixture back into the sauce.