Dill Pickle Chicken Piccata Ca-Noodling with Zucchini

by Susan Hanna

This great recipe from the LCBO’s Food and Drink magazine is a keeper. Cook zucchini and shallot and set aside. Pound chicken breasts into cutlets, dredge in flour, brown the chicken and set aside. Sauté shallot, capers and dill pickles and add pickle brine and stock. Return chicken to the pan, add sliced lemon and cook until the chicken is done. Serve the chicken over the zucchini, top with lemons and sauce and garnish with fresh dill. Cook’s note: I peeled the zucchini into strips with a Y-shaped peeler

Serves 2.

Avoiding Additive and Preservatives

Use unbleached flour and butter that does not contain colour. I used Unico capers, Imagine Organic stock and Sunshine Farms dill pickles and brine. All are free of additives and preservatives. For more recipes using all-natural ingredients, visit Eye For a Recipe.

Ingredients:

• ¾ lb (340 g) zucchini, about 2 medium zucchini or 1 pkg (340 g) prepared spiralized zucchini
• ¼ cup (60 ml) all-purpose flour
• 2 chicken breasts or 4 chicken cutlets
• ¼ tsp (1.25 ml) sea salt
• Generous grinds of fresh black pepper
• ¼ cup (60 ml) butter, cut into
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) pieces
• 1 large or 2 small shallots, thinly sliced, divided
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil, divided
• 1 dill pickle plus 1 tsp (5 ml) pickle brine
• 2 tsp (10 ml) drained capers
• ½ cup (125 ml) chicken broth
• 4 lemon wheels, seeds removed, plus 2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste2 tbsp (30 ml) coarsely chopped fresh dill

Preparation:

1. If using whole zucchini, use a Y-shaped vegetable peeler to pull long, thin strips of zucchini until all zucchini is in strips.
2. Add flour to a pie plate. Slice each chicken breast in half crosswise. Place between two pieces of plastic wrap on a cutting board. Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound until thin and even. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Turn chicken cutlets in flour and remove to a plate.
3. Melt 1 tbsp (15 ml) butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When bubbling, add half of shallot. Cook, stirring occasionally until softened slightly, 1 minute. Add zucchini. Cook, stirring occasionally until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Divide zucchini between two plates, including scraping any bits from bottom of pan. Keep warm by covering plates with foil.
4. Reduce heat to medium. Add 1 tbsp (15 ml) each butter and oil. Add chicken, making sure not to crowd the pan. You may need to cook chicken in two batches, adding remaining oil to pan if needed. With the exception of flipping halfway through, cook chicken undisturbed until golden on each side, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Add more butter, if needed. Remove from heat. Add chicken to a separate plate. Do not add to plates with zucchini as chicken may not be fully cooked through. Cover with foil.
5. Return pan to medium heat. Add another 1 tbsp (15 ml) butter, remaining shallot, pickles and capers. Cook, stirring and scraping up any brown bits from pan bottom, until softened, 1 minute. Pour in broth and brine. Cook, scraping up and stirring in any brown bits until sauce reduces by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Add chicken and any juices back into the pan along with lemon wheels. Continue cooking, turning occasionally until chicken is nicely coated and cooked through, about 3 to 6 more minutes depending on chicken thickness.
6. Remove pan from heat. Working quickly, set chicken over zucchini noodles. Discard lemon wheels if you prefer. Stir lemon juice and any remaining butter into sauce in pan. Taste and season with salt and pepper if you like. Pour over chicken. Serve sprinkled with dill.

From Food and Drink