Chicken picatta, orzo pasta and steamed broccoli make a tasteful Mother's Day gift to that someone special. CHRIS THELEN/STAFF

Meal for Mom

Light chicken dish is a tasty, and educational, addition to a special celebration

Web posted May 10, 2000

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 Chicken picatta
 Quick Cooking recipe achive

By Karin Calloway
Columnist

It's time for a little conspiracy. Mother's Day is Sunday, so hide this section before Mom has a chance to read it and surprise her with a gourmet meal on her special day.

An elegant menu of chicken picatta, orzo pasta and steamed broccoli will delight Mom and is easy enough for the beginner chef. (Young children will need some help from Dad or another adult).

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are pounded thin, then quickly sauteed. Fresh lemon juice, white wine and capers are added at the end of cooking to make a light, lemony sauce.

Pounding chicken breasts to a uniform thickness allows them to cook in a flash. Place a single chicken breast between two pieces of heavy-duty plastic wrap and pound to a uniform 1/4 -inch thickness using a meat pounder or the bottom of a heavy skillet. Many meat pounders have two sides, one for pounding and one for tenderizing. Use the smooth side for chicken, as the tenderizing side usually has teeth to break up the tissue in tough cuts of meat.

After the chicken has been sauteed on both sides, remove it from the pan and deglaze the browned bits left behind with lemon juice and wine. (For those who want to avoid alcohol, chicken broth can be substituted for the wine.) Simmer the liquids, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, until they are reduced by half. Then, add the capers and whisk in a bit of butter for a glossier sauce.

This recipe offers an excellent lesson on several basic cooking techniques, including sauteeing pounded chicken breasts and making a reduction sauce. Once you've mastered these techniques, you can create your own versions. Substitute Marsala wine or sherry for the white wine (omitting the lemon juice and capers) and add sauteed sliced fresh mushrooms for chicken Marsala. Or top your sauteed chicken breasts with marinara sauce, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses for a quick chicken Parmesan.

Orzo pasta is the perfect side dish for chicken picatta. Use the same liquid-to-pasta ratio that you would when preparing rice, since the tiny pasta can be hard to drain. Cook your orzo in chicken broth for added flavor. Bring 2 cups of chicken broth to a boil, then stir in 1 cup of orzo to make four servings. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in some shredded Parmesan cheese. Garnish with additional Parmesan and chopped fresh parsley.

Pick up something special from the bakery for dessert, perhaps a jellyroll cake. You can dress up your store-bought confection by drizzling bottled fruit syrup on the plate, topping it with two thin slices of the jellyroll and sprinkling it with powdered sugar.

Chicken picatta

Karin Calloway is a Web chef for Viking Range Corp. (www.vikingrange.com) and a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals. FILE/STAFF

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Salt and ground black pepper

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth

1 3-ounce jar of capers, drained

1 tablespoon butter, optional

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Place 1 chicken breast between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap and pound to a uniform thickness of 1/4 inch using a meat pounder or heavy skillet. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts.

Heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat in a skillet large enough to hold all of the chicken breasts without their touching or overlapping. (Or cook the chicken in batches in a smaller skillet, keeping it warm in a 200-degree oven until all chicken is cooked.) While skillet is heating, season chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Add chicken to skillet and brown on one side for 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the chicken over and cook on the second side for 3 to 4 minutes. Check for doneness by cutting into one of the breasts with a thin-bladed knife. The center should be white.

Remove the chicken from the skillet and add the lemon juice and white wine or chicken broth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon and boil until the liquid is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the capers and butter, if desired, to the sauce, stirring until the butter is incorporated. Return the chicken to the skillet, remove from the heat and serve. Spoon the sauce over each serving and garnish with the chopped parsley.

Makes 4 servings.

Karin Calloway is a Web chef for Viking Range Corp. (www.vikingrange.com) and a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals. You can write her in care of Newsroom, The Augusta Chronicle, P.O. Box 1928, Augusta, GA 30913. Or send e-mail to karingca@aol.com.