Chicken Scallopini a La Lemon Basil

Submitted by SarasotaCook

"This is an amazing dish, lemony spinach pasta, lemony chicken and a lemony creamy white wine sauce. If you enjoy lemon as much as I do ... this is for you. There are subtle flavors of lemon all through this dish. Now I used lemon basil which you can get at any Whole Foods or if you grow it yourself. If not, don't worry. But it is worth it if you can get some. Regular basil will work just fine. However!! Fresh herbs for this. NO dried, it makes a big difference. And fresh lemons, no plastic lemons for this. I would say fresh pasta, but I use a box and it isn't quite as good, but, most people wouldn't know the difference."

 

• Ready In: 50mins
• Ingredients: 21
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• Chicken

• 4 chicken breasts, pounded thin
• 1⁄4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons lemon pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter (to saute the chicken)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (to saute the chicken)
• 2 lemons, thin sliced

• Sauce

• 1 shallot (small thin sliced)
• 1⁄2 cup white wine
• 1⁄3 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1⁄3 cup heavy cream
• 3⁄4 teaspoon flour
• 1⁄2 cup lemon basil, fine chopped (you can use regular basil if you can not fine lemon basil)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon thyme, fine chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh parsley, fine chopped

• Pasta

• 1 lb spinach pasta
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons garlic olive oil (2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 smashed garlic clove)
• salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon pepper

directions

1. First -- this is quick cooking, the sauce, the chicken and the pasta, so make sure you have all your herbs chopped, lemons sliced and chicken ready.
2. Chicken -- In a pie plate or medium size pan add the flour, salt and lemon pepper. Now if the chicken isn't pounded, put your chicken breasts between saran or plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet, rolling pin or even a heavy skillet to flatten. Don't go too far, but you want a nice thin fillet. Then dredge the chicken breasts in the flour mixture. Then set to the side on a plate while you start the pasta.
3. Pasta -- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta according to directions.
4. Garlic Oil -- In a small sauce pan add the garlic and olive oil and cook on medium just 2-3 minutes until the garlic slightly browns but doesn't fry. Just to infuse the oil.
5. Pasta and Chicken -- As the water boil, add the pasta. I like a dried spinach pasta, but I have used everything from angel hair to fettuccini for this. Just use your favorite. The spinach to me really adds a lot of flavor, but if you can't find that. Use a regular pasta.
6. So as the pasta boils, heat up the butter and oil in a large pan, non stick preferred. Add the chicken and lemon slices and saute 3-4 minutes per side until the chicken is golden brown. It doesn't take long. Flip the lemon a couple of times to get golden brown. Once done, remove the chicken to a plate along with the lemons and cover with foil to keep warm.
7. Pasta, Oil, Chicken, and Sauce -- Ok, the pasta should be done. Check it -- drain and set to the side. Olive oil, remove the garlic and the olive oil is done -- Chicken is done and resting -- Sauce. Time to start.
8. Sauce -- To the pan you cooked the chicken in, add the shallot and cook just a minute, then add the flour and whisk in, then add the wine, broth and lemon juice and cook until reduced by half, about 3-4 minutes on a medium heat. Reduce and add the cream, thyme, parsley, basil, salt and pepper and any juices from the chicken plate.
9. Serving -- Toss the pasta with the garlic oil, lemon pepper, salt and lemon juice. Plate up some pasta on each plate. Top with one of the chicken breasts and then drizzle with the wine sauce. Garnish with a couple of the lemon slices and just enjoy!