Baked Chicken Piccata

Preheat oven to 450 F.

In a non-stick skillet over medium heat, heat up 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil. Pour in panko bread crumbs and toast them by stirring with wooden spoon until they develop a golden brown color. Pour them into a shallow bowl or rimmed plate and allow to cool. In two other separate bowls, place 1 cup flour and 1 whisked egg. These will be the coatings for your chicken.

Cut the chicken breast horizontally into two halves. With the flat side of a meat tenderizer, flatten chicken breast pieces until they are of even thickness, about 1/2″ thick. Dredge each piece in flour, covering throughly. Then dip into egg wash, coating throughly. Then transfer and coat with toasted panko crumbs. Place onto a non-stick spray coated baking or broiling pan. Repeat with other chicken breast.

Bake for about 10 minutes at 450 F or until chicken breast registers 160 F. Remove from oven and set aside.

Fill a medium/large sauce pan with water and heat water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain it and cover it to keep warm until ready to use.

In a large non-stick skillet heat remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add in garlic and saute until it becomes aromatic, about 30 seconds. Stir in chili pepper flakes, lemon juice, lemon slices, chicken broth, and capers. Stir and reduce liquid by about one half. Increase heat if necessary to promote reduction.

When the liquid is reduced, in a small ramekin stir together 1 1/2 tablespoon of flour and softened butter. This will create a thickening agent for the sauce. Whisk this into the reduced sauce pan and bring to a boil. Continue to stir until sauce has thickened. Remove from heat.

Final assembly:
When chicken has baked and is golden brown, sauce is thickened and spaghetti is done cooking, you are ready to assemble. Plate spaghetti, resting one chicken breast on top and cover with sauce. Garnish with sliced lemon and basil. Devour while warm.

(Adapted from The Culinary Chronicles Chicken Piccata and Angel Hair Pasta and America’s Test Kitchen Baked Chicken Parmesan)