I have come to realize that there are tons of foodies in the world. There are those who love to eat good foods but would rather someone else prepare their meals because they don’t really enjoy cooking unless they have to. And then there are those who are in touch with their inner chef or baker and create magical dishes that only celebrity chefs do, right in their kitchens at home.
I started off as a person who didn’t care for cooking much but later, as a young adult, started to enjoy cooking when I was living alone and couldn’t afford to eat out every night. I no longer wanted to be limited to eating breakfast for dinner or pasta with red sauce every other night, the only two things I could make fairly well. The good thing about learning how to cook while living alone, is no one was there to say “yuck!” when I messed up.
Since then, cooking has become therapy. Now as a wife and mom, quiet moments don’t come around too often but I still love the times when I can cook alone, with classic Rhythm & Blues music playing softly in the background, and while enjoying a glass of red wine. It’s calming and helps me to clear my head. So when my coworkers and I were discussing starting a Recipe of the Month feature where we would share some of our favorite recipes that you could make while staying at a Virginia State Park, I quickly raised my hand.
October is a month for change. The weather gets noticeably cooler, the leaves turn from greens to fall colors and for some of us, we start to feel a little down. One of the ways I heal my colder-weather-blues, is to make warm and hearty meals, and usually, dessert. But I decided against sharing my peach cobbler with cinnamon whipped cream recipe (I’ll share it soon, no worries!) and instead chose an Italian dish that is quick and easy to make. And who isn’t happy while eating Italian food?
The cabins at Virginia State Parks have kitchens that are fully equipped so all you have to take is the food you want to prepare (don’t forget seasonings!). When I travel to one of our parks, I plan my menu ahead. I pack from my house what I already have (including the seasonings I organize in small plastic Ziploc bags), and pick up the items I don’t have on the way to the park. This way, you don’t have to skimp on your meals just because you are traveling and your cabin can truly be your home away from home.
Chicken Piccata with Rosemary Roasted Potatoes
What you’ll need:
For Chicken Piccata…
1 pound boneless chicken breasts
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour to coat chicken plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour for sauce
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped (or minced garlic)
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar (red wine vinegar can also be used)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
For Rosemary Roasted Potatoes…
4-6 russet, white, or red potatoes (more needed if using small, red potatoes)
2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1-2 tablespoons rosemary (fresh or dried)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel your potatoes, rinse, cut them into small cubes and place in a bowl.
Toss the potatoes with the olive oil, rosemary, garlic powder and salt and pepper until fully coated. Spray the bottom of a cookie sheet or baking dish and pour the potatoes into the dish. Spread the potatoes out so that they are covering the bottom of the dish. Cook in the oven at 400 degrees for 45 minutes (1 hour for darker, crunchier potatoes).
Start cooking the chicken when you have 30 minutes left on the potatoes. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat until very hot while you prepare the chicken. Cut off the fat of the chicken breast and slice the chicken in half so that they are thin-cut breasts.
You can pound the chicken to flatten the breasts even more. When I do not have a meat pounder, I use the bottom of a clean cooking pot, which works just fine. Season the thin-cut breasts with salt and pepper on each side. Then lightly coat the breast with flour. Don’t over-season. You can always add more seasoning later.
When the oil is nice and hot (you can tell it is hot when it becomes thin and very shiny), place the flour coated chicken in the skillet. Cook chicken 1-2 minutes on each side so that each side is a golden brown.
Put the cooked chicken breasts to the side and cover to keep warm. Keep the oil in the skillet, reduce the heat to medium and add 1 tablespoon oil and the garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes (don’t let it burn!). While it cooks, in a small bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, lemon juice and 1 teaspoon flour.
Add the whisked sauce to the oil and garlic. Stir to mix. Simmer the sauce until it is reduced and thickens up a bit. Stir in the vinegar, parsley and capers. The recipe calls for white wine vinegar, but I only had red wine vinegar. I like the flavor of both so you are okay either way. Stir for 1-2 minutes, then drop in the tablespoon butter and stir it around until it melts into the sauce. Reduce the heat to very low to keep it warm.
Serve the chicken with the sauce over the chicken and with a side of roasted potatoes. Since my mother always told me that a healthy meal is a colorful one, I had my chicken piccata with a side of sautéed baby bella mushrooms to add an earthy flavor (simply made with a little unsalted butter, salt and pepper) and a spinach salad with sliced tomatoes on top to make it extra healthy and colorful.
If you have a child who loves to help in the kitchen like I do, seasoning and coating the potatoes and whisking the sauce are great parts of the dish they can help with. And of course, having them help plate the food is always fun since their young minds are so creative.
Enjoy! Until next time…