Chicken Piccata & Broccoli w/ Creamy Chive Sauce

TUESDAY, AUGUST 4TH, 2009

3.5 stars (out of 5 - easy and pretty good) for the Chicken
2 stars (out of 5 - not great, not great) for the Broccoli

Ingredients (Chicken Piccata):

2 skinned boned chicken cutlets or breasts*
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground red pepper
Olive oil, to cook
2 tbsp dry white wine
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp butter or margarine
1/2 tsp veggie or chicken flavoured bouillon granules
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)

{*Note. I use chicken cutlets because the idea of having to pound a chicken breast does not appeal to me in the slightest. You can also use a boneless chicken breast and flattento about 1/4 inch thickness using a meat mallet. I used my President's Choice Simulated Chick'n Breasts here again.}

1. First, I combined the flour, paprika and red pepper in a shallow bowl. I used extra paprika because I couldn't find any ground red pepper.

2. I then dredged the chicken breasts/cutlets in the flour mixture, until they were coated on both sides.

3. I heated the pan with the olive oil in it over about medium-high and added the chicken. I then cooked the chicken for approximately 3 minutes on each side (depending on the size of the chicken), and removed it and kept it warm for a few minutes while I did the sauce.

My veggie chick'n version cooking:

4. I then added the wine, lemon juice, margarine, and buillon granules to the skillet, and stirred the mixture constantly until the butter melted.

5. The final chicken version. SB decided to place his chicken right in skillet to soak up the juice in the pan and sear the meat. The recipe calls for you to actually drizzle it overtop of the warmed chicken (which I did, below). Either way, I'm sure it's fine, although it was annoying that my sauce ran in my plate.

Veggie Chick'n Version:

Overall, this chicken was pretty good. Not difficult, and the flavour was fairly decent. We will probably do it again, perhaps adding our own ingredients as we go. I will definitely cook mine in the pan again to get that seared look.

Ingredients (Broccoli w/ Creamy Chive Sauce):

2 stems of broccoli
1/3 cup water
1/2 tsp veggie-flavoured buillon granules
1 tbsp butter or margarine
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tbsp milk
1 1/2 tsp freeze-dried chives
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp mustard

1. First, I washed and steamed the broccoli until tender crisp.

2. I then placed the water in a 1-cup measuring cup and microwaved it on high for 40 seconds. I stirred in the bouillon granules until they are dissolved, and set the mixture aside.

3. After this, I placed the butter in another measuring cup nad microwaved it for 10 seconds uncovered (until the butter melted).

4. I then added the flour, and stirred until it was smooth. Once smooth, I added the bouillon mixture, and milk, and microved the stirred mixture on high for 2 minutes (or until thickened and bubbly, stirring half-way through).

5. After the mixture was thickened, I stirred in the chives, lemon juice, and mustard.

6. At this time, the broccoli was done, so I drained it, placed it on our plates, and drizzed the sauce overtop.

The broccoli, in the end, was just OK. I've definitely had better. I felt like the sauce was a bit slimy, or perhaps the taste could've been accentuated with more mustard. If I do it again (doubtful), it would need a lot of tweaking, and definitely more punch.

Overall dinner: