Lemon Chicken Piccata (paleo)
If you've been around for more than 2 seconds, you may have figured out all of my recipes tend to follow paleo protocol (gluten, dairy, grain, and refined-sugar-free). I've been cooking this way for years so it's easier for me to create recipes with the alternatives to gluten and dairy and all the things and still create a fantastic recipe.
However! If you are not used to having these ingredients stocked in your house- no worries. If you want to go to the store and buy a couple of these ingredients, then great! But for this recipe in particular, if you only have regular white flour and corn starch and not almond flour/arrowroot starch, that will work just as well.
I find that chicken always tastes best when cooked in a cast-iron skillet, and the clean up is always so much easier than a regular skillet. If you don't have one yet, you can get a pretty good-sized Lodge one from Target if you're shopping in-store, or Amazon which usually comes with super handy rubber handles or lids, which I will link below (I have a 12-inch)! I seriously use my cast iron at least 5x a week.
The lemons I used in this were lime-size tiny lemons from Trader Joe's, so I always recommend tasting the sauce before you add the chicken back in! Actually, this is always a good rule of thumb- always taste your sauce to see what it needs. Always always always. If you taste it and it's super tart, just add more coconut cream!
Lemon Chicken Piccata
Ingredients
avocado/olive oil for skillet
1/3 c. almond flour
1/3 c. arrowroot or tapioca starch
1/4 c. nutritional yeast (optional)
2 chicken breasts, butterflied (sliced in half to create 4 pieces)
pinch of salt
juice of 1 lemon
1 cup of chicken broth
1 tbsp. fresh minced garlic
2-3 tbsp. capers
1/2 can of coconut cream*
*use the top solid half of the can if the can is cold and the cream is separated. Blend the solid part in a bowl with an immersion blender or with a fork the best you can.
Directions
1. Add avocado oil to skillet and turn heat on low. Using a straight-edge knife, butterfly chicken breasts (slice in half) to make 4 pieces.
2. Mix the almond flour, nutritional yeast, arrowroot starch and salt in a bowl. Dredge each chicken breast in mixture and place in skillet.
3. Turn up heat to medium and cook chicken for about 4 minutes on each side, or until golden. Remove chicken from skillet and cover in aluminum foil.
4. Turn skillet on low and add garlic, stirring until sauteed. Add broth and simmer on med-low for about a minute.
5. Add coconut milk and lemon juice, combine well, and bring to a boil for about 3 minutes. Turn heat down to low and add capers.
6. Make sure you taste test here! You can always add more coconut milk or more lemon juice.
7. If it's perfect, add your chicken back into the skillet. If not, refer back to step 6.
8. Serve it up! Pairs well with cauli gnocchi and roasted asparagus.
xx cococait