Crispy Parmesan Chicken with Lemon & Capers

This absolutely delicious recipe comes from the Magnolia Grill Cookbook.  The Magnolia Grill was in Durham, NC and run by Chefs Ben and Karen Baker.  I was sad to learn that it has recently closed its doors.  I was mistaken in my last blog.  We had leftover rice with the tuna and greens.  With this meal I used up the grits.  We also had a large side salad.

Ingredients for the Chicken: 

4 (6 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and lightly pounded

½ C flour

2 eggs

¼ C plain dry bread crumbs

¼ C grated Parmesan cheese

1 T chopped parsley

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 T EVOO

Ingredients for the lemon-Caper Brown Butter:

4 T unsalted butter

2 T capers

2 T lemon juice

1 T chopped parsley

Salt and black pepper

Directions for the Chicken:

1.      Place the flour in a shallow bowl or pie plate.  (I have a breading tray set from Williams Sonoma that I think is wonderful for dishes like this.)

2.      Beat the eggs in another shallow bowl.

3.      Combine the bread crumbs with the Parmesan cheese and parsley in a third bowl.  Season the crumbs to taste with salt and pepper. 

4.      Dredge each chicken breast in flour, shaking off any excess. 

5.      Dip into the beaten egg and then coat evenly with bread crumb mixture. 

6.      When all are coated, refrigerate on a plate for 20-30 minutes. 

7.      Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. (You can also use a warming drawer or lights in place of the oven.)

8.      Heat the EVOO in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. 

9.      Add the chicken and cook until crisp and golden brown, approximately 4-5 minutes.  Turn and repeat on the other side.  Remove the chicken to a warm plate and keep in the low-temperature oven while you prepare the sauce. 

Directions for the Sauce:

1.      Place the butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook until the butter begins to lightly brown and smells nutty. 

2.      Add the capers and fry them for 30 seconds.

3.      Add the lemon juice, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. 

4.      Remove from heat and spoon the sauce over the chicken.

5.      Serve immediately. 

Jim pronounced this the best chicken dish he has ever had.  I had no trouble with the recipe.