Chicken Scallopini 8.02 Spring

“Then let's not talk about it. Here, sit. Sit.” “Got chicken scaloppini for you, linguine with meatballs for me, and a hanger steak for Paul Anka.”

Ingredients:

• 3-4 chicken boneless, skinless chicken breasts

• 1 tsp pepper

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp chili powder

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1 tsp lemon pepper

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tbsp butter

For the sauce: 

• 2 tbsp butter

• 2 tbsp flour

• ¼ cup yellow onion, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tsp lemon zest

• 1 tsp pepper

• 1 tsp salt

• ¼ tsp red pepper chili flakes

• ¼ cup dry white wine

• 3 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 cup chicken broth

• ¼ cup heavy cream

• 1 lb tagliatelle pasta, cooked to package instructions

• Fresh parsley to serve

Directions: 

1. Use a sharp knife to slice the chicken breasts in half vertically. Do not slice all the way through, but leave the chicken breast still intact on one vertical side so that when you open the chicken, it resembles a butterfly. 

2. Pat the chicken dry and season with pepper, salt, chili powder, paprika, lemon pepper, and garlic powder. 

3. Place a large pan or skillet over medium heat and melt 1 tbsp of butter. Add the chicken and cook for about 5-6 minutes on both sides or until fully cooked. Set chicken aside and cover with foil to keep warm. 

4. Scrape up any brown bits from the chicken, but do not discard. Add 2 tbsp of butter and melt over medium heat. Stir in the flour until a roux has formed. 

5. Add onion, garlic, lemon zest, and spices. Simmer for 3-4 minutes or until onions are translucent. 

6. Deglaze the pan by adding in the wine and stir to combine. Simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and chicken broth. Allow to simmer for an additional 6 minutes. 

7. Slowly stir in the heavy cream until fully combined. Add the chicken back into the pan and simmer in the sauce for about 1 minute. 

8. Serve with the cooked pasta and fresh parsley. 

I’ll admit, I didn’t really know what chicken scallopini was when I decided to make it for this episode. It just fell in the category of random chicken dishes with the likes of chicken piccata, chicken tetrazzini, and chicken divan. When I first started researching recipes, everything I found was very similar to chicken piccata (which I already made for Lane’s prom). However, I finally learned that chicken scallopini is actually just how the chicken is cut when it’s prepared, sliced in half in a butterfly. But it’s often served with a chicken piccata sauce. Since I already made that, this meant I could really have fun with my sauce to create a flavorful and juicy piece of chicken. And I served my chicken with tagliatelle pasta to round out the dish.

Thank you for understanding I’ve been behind on posting my recipes. I’m going to have them all updated before I kick off my encore on March 29th!

Catch up on my last A Year in the Life Dish here!