Chicken Piccata and Smashed Sweet Potatoes...

As promised, unduly interrupted by barbecue cravings last week, we're going to make Chicken Piccata, Dear Reader. It's accompanied by Smashed Sweet Potatoes, and I think we were all surprised at how well it all went together. Main dish first, then the side, then any tips.

I'm hungry, so shall we go to the kitchen, Dear Reader? Oh... Pictures will be added later, since Blogger is being a bitch, mmmkay?
**edit** Just tried, it's still being a bitch. Both about uploading (for me) and just carrying over from a url. So what's going on? I have no idea. Ah well. No pictures. Sorry.


Chicken Piccata
1 1/2-2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken (I used thighs, feel free to use what you like)
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 can OR 2 cups chicken broth
juice from 3 medium lemons, reserve 1 tablespoon
Approximately 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter


Now, I recommend doing ALL THE PREP FIRST. This dish cooks QUITE quickly once you start, so if you can start out with everything ready to go, you'll be that much ahead of the game.

Prep: Flatten the chicken until it's 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Be sure to pound only on the 'cut' side, since what would have been the skin side will keep the chicken together. Mix the flour, garlic salt and pepper together in a dish or on a plate. Rinse and drain the capers, get the lemon juice ready to go. Dredge the flattened chicken in the flour mixture, both sides.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium high heat.
Brown the chicken IN BATCHES until golden. I had 6 thighs, I did 3 batches. Each batch got 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon butter. Reserve on a plate to the side.
After the chicken is cooked, pour in the chicken broth, lemon juice and capers. Bring to a boil, scraping up the fond. Reduce by half. After you've acheived the reduction, stir or whisk in the remaining tablespoon butter. Add the chicken back in, remove pan from heat. Feel free to leave it in the pan, warm, while you throw together the potatoes.


Now for the side. This is the EASIEST SIDE DISH you'll ever make, guaranteed. You'll need your microwave for this one, Dear Reader. This makes 4 half-cup servings, so double as needed.

Smashed Sweet Potatoes
2 large sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon lemon juice (reserved from Chicken Piccata)
4 tablespoons butter, cut up into 4 pieces
1/4 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

Rinse the sweet potatoes, removing any root bits and dirt. Poke each sweet potato 3-4 times with a fork. Place them on a paper plate, microwave on high 8 minutes. I did this part when I was doing the chicken. Leave the sweet potatoes in the microwave until the chicken is done and off the heat. Once you're done with the chicken, take the sweet potatoes out of the microwave, cut each in half lengthwise and scoop the insides into a microwave safe bowl. Add the reserved lemon juice. Throw in the 4 tablespoons butter, mash that in. Stir in the milk, salt and pepper. If it's not hot enough it melt the butter, it's not hot enough. Microwave it for 30 seconds.

Tada! There. Wasn't that easy???

TIPS:
Do the prep first. I cannot stress this enough, Dear Reader. It really does go quickly if all the prep is done.
If you happen to not use the lemon juice in the sweet potatoes, it's no big deal. Really. It just sharpens the sweet potato flavor, makes it sweeter without sugar.
Now, why didn't I put maple syrup or brown sugar or cinnamon or nutmeg or blah-blah-blah in the sweet potatoes? I'm sick of it, Dear Reader. For 36 years, I have had candied sweet potatoes with brown sugar and marshmallows for holidays. I've had sweet potato pie with cinnamon and nutmeg and brown sugar. I've had sweet potato casserole so sweet you'll get a cavity just LOOKING at the damn thing... Sweet potatoes are called sweet potatoes for a reason. THEY'RE SWEET!!! You do not need to add sugar. They're sweet enough.
But again, if you want to, go ahead.
Once again, Dear Reader, I'm using chicken thighs. The price of breasts has gone through the roof, and I'm not sure where it will end. Until then, if it's boneless and skinless, use it. The darker meat does do a better job of being juicy, I think.
Capers are the pickled flower buds of the Capparis spinosa plant. I bought them in a 3 1/2 ounce jar at the local WalMart for $2 and some change. THEY ARE NOT EXOTIC. Look for them with the pickles, relishes, cocktail onions and jarred olives. They come packed in vinegar and you WILL need to rinse them. Matter of fact, rinse them twice.