Chicken Piccata + Steamed Black Rice

Serves 4 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 30-35 minutes

A classic dish made with veal or chicken and a sauce made of lemon, capers and butter. Usually dredged in flour, I don’t think it needs it. The trick is to use the natural juices of the chicken and a little bone broth. The gelatin present in these liquids will give you a naturally thickened sauce. I like bone in-skin on chicken thighs because of the higher levels of vitamin k and more flavor.

Ingredients

6 bone-in skin on chicken thighs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups bone broth
1 lemon, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons capers
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons butter
To serve: steamed black rice and some steamed green beans

Chef Tips

Take your time rendering the skin (fat) from the chicken. The fat is called schmaltz. Have a small bowl next to your stove and dumb out any extra that comes off. You can use this later to sauté vegetables, fry rice and many other yummy things.

Cook your rice and make your salad while you’re rendering your chicken. They should be done before the chicken is cooked.

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 450F. Season thighs with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set up of a baking tray lined with parchment paper

Step 2 (cook the chicken)

Preheat a dutch oven or cast iron pan over medium heat. Drizzle in a tiny bit of olive oil, just to barely coat the pan. Add the chicken skin side down in a single layer. You may have to do this in two rounds. Don’t move until the skin is golden brown. About 10-12 minutes. Turn over and cook on the other side about 5 minutes. Set on a the prepared baking tray. Repeat with the rest of the chicken. Place in the oven to finish cooking through. About 10 minutes more. Allow to rest.

Step 3 (make the sauce)

At this point, look at the pan. There should be a good amount of rendered fat. Spoon some into the bowl you set up to collect the fat. Leave about a 1 tablespoon in the pan. Add in the bone broth and any resting juices and bring to a boil. Scrap the tasty brown bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Add in the lemon and capers. Reduce the liquid by half. Add in the butter and swirl until it melts. Taste the sauce. It should tasty nicely acidic and almost coat the back of a spoon. Season with freshly ground black pepper, parsley and a bit of salt if necessary.