I love this one
- Carbohydrate 32.64356 g
- Cholesterol 258.355 mg
- Fat 49.2620033333333 g
- Fiber 2.74168330005805 g
- Protein 59.3679883333333 g
- Saturated Fat 29.8882148333333 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (415g)
- Sodium 502.368 mg
- Sugar 29.9018766999419 g
- Trans Fat 4.15638833333334 g
- Calories 811 calories
Step-by-step
- In large saute or fry pan, melt butter. While butter is melting, combine flour, salt and pepper in small bowl. Dip each piece of chicken in milk; shake off excess. Dredge chicken in flour mixture and add to fry pan. (I like to cut chicken breasts in half before coating.)
- Saute chicken in butter over medium to medium-high heat until browned and cooked through, turning often. Add more butter as needed. (Be careful turning chicken so as not to break off any of the flour coating.)
- Remove chicken from pan and place on platter. Keep chicken warm while making the sauce.
- Turn heat to medium high and deglaze with the wine, stirring to get all of the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Turn heat to medium low and continue to cook sauce, stirring frequently. Squeeze juice of 1/2 lemon through cheesecloth into sauce (add capers at this point if using them) and continue to stir until sauce has thickened slightly.
- (Note: Sauce should be tasted frequently, and more wine or lemon can be added as necessary. If sauce does not thicken properly, add a little bit of flour and continue to stir.)
- When sauce is ready, add chicken back to the pan and turn to coat.
- For serving: Remove chicken to serving platter and top with any additional sauce, parsley sprigs and lemon slices.
True pan-sauce success relies entirely on deglazing at a medium-high temperature while vigorously scraping the fond before the residual flour crust burns. When wine hits a hot pan containing browned butter and pan drippings, the alcohol rapidly evaporates, leaving behind concentrated acids that cut through the richness of dairy fats. Maintaining a vigilant eye during this reduction prevents the delicate solids from turning bitter.
A common pitfall occurs when cooks introduce cold lemon juice directly into a violently boiling pan, causing the butter emulsion to break and separate into an oily puddle. Strain fresh citrus juice through cheesecloth to eliminate stray seeds and pulp that scorch easily, and temper the liquid gently over medium-low heat until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. If the reduction remains too thin, whisking in a tiny pinch of dry flour works far better than trying to reduce it further, which risks over-concentrating the salt.
Thin-gauge aluminum skillets conduct heat unevenly, creating hot spots that scorch the flour coating before the chicken cooks through to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Heavy cast iron or stainless steel multi-clad pans distribute thermal energy evenly, though a wide braising pan provides the necessary surface area for four distinct cutlets without overcrowding. When pans are too small, meat steams instead of browning, destroying the crisp exterior required to anchor the pan sauce.
Acidic components like dry white wine and fresh lemon juice react chemically with reactive metals if left too long, so transfer finished dishes promptly or use non-reactive enameled cookware. Capers add a briny punctuation mark at the final stage of reduction, but rinse them thoroughly in cold water first if sodium levels need taming.
