Amazing Italian Lemon Butter Chicken

About eight years ago, a dear Italian woman introduced me to this dish. She has since passed away and taken her recipes with her, as she had nothing written down. This is the closest of all my attempts to duplicate her lemon butter chicken recipe. It is delicious and easier to make than it looks.

• Preparation Time: 10 mins
• Cooking Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 30 mins
• Calories: 660 Calories

Ingredients

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup butter, chilled
• 5 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• ¼ cup white wine
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
• 5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 4 ounces bacon
• chopped fresh parsley for garnish
• 2 teaspoons capers, drained
• ½ pound dry farfalle (bow tie) pasta
• 6 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 6 ounces artichoke hearts, drained and halved

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and set aside.

Step 2

To make the sauce, pour wine and lemon juice into a saucepan over medium heat. Cook at a low boil until the liquid is reduced by 1/3. Stir in cream, and simmer until it thickens. Gradually add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to the sauce, stirring until completely incorporated. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat, and keep warm.

Step 3

To make the chicken, heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. In a bowl, stir together flour, salt, and pepper. Lightly coat chicken with flour mixture. Without crowding, carefully place chicken in hot oil. If necessary, cook in batches. Fry until cooked through and golden brown on both sides. Remove chicken to paper towels. Stir bacon, mushrooms, artichokes, and capers into the pan; cook until mushrooms are soft.

Step 4

Cut chicken breasts into bite-size strips, and return them to the skillet. Stir 1/2 of the lemon butter sauce into the chicken mixture.

Step 5

To serve, place pasta in a large bowl. Stir the chicken mixture into the pasta. Taste, and adjust seasonings. Stir in additional lemon butter sauce as desired. Toss well, and garnish with parsley.