What to eat in March

What to Eat Right Now: March

The first official day of spring is March 20th! Look for the first sharp flavors of the season in the form of artichokes, radishes, early peas, green garlic, and horseradish in March.

 

Chicken Piccata with Artichokes

 

Chicken piccata, a traditional Italian dish consisting of thin chicken cutlets pan-fried and topped with a pan sauce made with lemon juice and capers, is updated with the addition of meaty artichoke hearts in this recipe. Add a few handfuls of fresh spinach along with the capers for extra vegetables. Represent this dish with an orzo or another small pasta shape to soak up the delectable sauce.

 

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 1 1/2 lb. (750 g) total

 

1/2 cup (2 1/2 oz./75 g) all-purpose flour

 

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

 

3 Tbs. olive oil

2 Tbs. unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 jar  of artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained, and quartered

1 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Juice of 1 lemon

2 Tbs. capers, rinsed and drained

1 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

 

Butterfly and split the chicken breasts in half. Continuing to work with one chicken breast half at a time, place the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap and slowly pound to an even thickness of about 1/4 inch with a meat pounder or other hard, flat object. Season the flour generously with salt and pepper on a large plate. Shake off any excess seasoned flour from the chicken. Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large fry pan over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Cook, turning once, until golden brown on both sides and opaque throughout, about 4 minutes per side, continuing to work in batches as needed to avoid crowding. Place on a plate and set it aside. Come back the pan to medium-high heat; do not clean it. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sauté the garlic and artichoke hearts for about 1 minute, or until the garlic is soft. Stir in the wine, scraping up any browned bits on the pan's bottom. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by half. Combine the broth, lemon juice, and capers in a mixing bowl. Turn the heat down to medium, bring to a simmer, and whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes, or until the mixture thickens slightly. Add the parsley and mix well. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Bring it back the chicken to the pan and turn to coat with the sauce on all sides. Saute for about 2 minutes, or until the chicken is thoroughly warmed. Serve right away.