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Tuesday, June 9

Chicken with Lemon-Caper Sauce with a side of Farro and Fresh Ontario Asapargus


So if you think you've already seen a version of this recipe on my blog from a few years ago, you'd be correct (re-live it all  here.) Why do it again you ask, when the first recipe was so delicious? Well, because I loved it so much and I wanted another excuse to combine my favourite flavours of lemon and capers. And sometimes the second time around allows you to improve upon things. And because it's my blog and honestly you probably didn't even notice that I had done it before until I stupidly drew your attention to it. Damn it. It's a slightly different recipe (no white wine used in this version which leaves you the whole entire bottle to drink- I love this recipe more already!) but the method and the finished product is the same: rich and flavourful and wonderful.

The version below is fairly quick and would be a good dinner option for the middle of the week. I used bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts so I did have to adjust my cooking time to about 30 minutes or so: not a big deal on the weekend, plus it gave me time to cook my farro side dish.... and enjoy more of the wine.

The side dish is a Bistro 164 original recipe. Essentially I had a craving for farro ... and I wanted to impress the new sous chef with my knowledge of and "skill" in cooking ancient grains (it worked!) I am also always looking for creative ways to cook up as much asparagus as I can while our season lasts. Throw in some fresh basil from my little herb garden on the deck and there you have it: A fresh, simple and wholesome side that pairs well with the lemony, salty (love those capers) flavours of the chicken. Even better the second time around ....which sometimes happens in life if you are fortunate enough, thank goodness.

Cheers!




Chicken in Lemon-Caper Sauce
from Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook 2012

Serves 4
Per serving (1 piece of chicken and 2 tbsps sauce) 170 Cal
PointsPlus value: 4
Skill Level: Darn Easy
Taste: Delicious

2 tbsps all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
4 (1/4 pound) thin-sliced chicken breasts (I used bone-in chicken and adjusted my cooking time until cooked throughout, about 30 minutes or so with lid on)
2 tsps olive oil
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth (home-made if possible)
3 tbsps lemon juice
1 tbsp capers, drained and chopped (I used 2-3 tbsps since I love them so much, non-chopped)
1 tsp unsalted butter
2 tbsps chopped fresh parsley

Mix together the flour and salt in a pie plate. Dip chicken in the flour mixture and shake off excess.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side; transfer to plate.

Add broth, lemon juice, and capers to the skillet; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Return chicken to skillet and cook, turning to coat, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Transfer chicken to platter. Remove skillet from heat; add butter and parsley. Pour over chicken.






Farro with Fresh Ontario Asparagus, Cherry Tomatoes and Basil
A Bistro 164 Original Recipe

Servings: 4
Skill Level: So easy that I can even do it

1 cup Farro, rinsed and drained
1 bunch of asparagus, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
olive oil
Handful of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
salt and pepper to taste
3-4 fresh basil leaves, chopped

Cook farro according to package instructions (I used 1 cup of home-made chicken stock and 2 cups of water, bring to a boil, add farro , turn heat down to simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Drain any leftover liquid.)

Add 1 tbsp or so of olive oil to a skillet and heat to medium-low. Add garlic, asparagus, and tomatoes and saute until asparagus is crisp but tender, about 10 minutes or so. Add cooked farro and chopped basil. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.




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