Chicken Piccata and Pasta Salad with Arugula and Sundried Tomatoes

I'm running a little behind on here! I made this last week! The recipes are off of cooksillustrated.com.

Lighter Chicken Piccata

Serves 4.

One cutlet per person makes a skimpy serving, so we call for a total of eight cutlets for serve four people. We prefer the flavor of whole milk in the sauce; however, 2 percent milk or half-and-half will also work. Do not use 1 percent or skim milk. This recipe was published in our cookbook The Best Light Recipe.

Ingredients

Cutlets
1/2	cup unbleached all-purpose flour
4	boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each), trimmed of excess fat, tenderloins removed, and sliced into cutlets (see illustrations below)
	Table salt and ground black pepper
2	tablespoons vegetable oil
Piccata Sauce
1	medium shallot , minced (about 3 tablespoons)
	Salt
2	medium garlic cloves , minced (about 2 teaspoons)
1 1/2	cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2	lemon , ends trimmed, sliced thin
2	tablespoons whole milk
1	teaspoon cornstarch
2	tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2	tablespoons capers , rinsed and patted dry
1	tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
	Ground black pepper

Instructions

1. For the cutlets: Spread the flour in a shallow dish. Pat the cutlets dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge the cutlets in the flour and shake off the excess; set aside.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Lay half of the cutlets in the skillet and cook until lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Flip the cutlets over and continue to cook until the meat is no longer pink in the center and feels firm when pressed with a finger, about 2 minutes. Transfer the cutlets to a plate and cover with foil; set aside. Repeat with the remaining oil and cutlets.

3. For the sauce: Add the shallot and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the oil left in the skillet, return to medium-low heat, and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the broth and lemon slices (I DO NOT RECOMMEND ADDING THE LEMON SLICES!!!), scraping up the browned bits. Bring to a simmer and cook until the mixture measures 1 cup, about 5 minutes.

4. Pour any accumulated chicken juices into the simmering sauce. Whisk the milk and cornstarch together, then whisk into the simmering sauce. Continue to simmer the sauce until it has thickened, about 1 minute. Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice, capers, and parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the sauce over the chicken before serving.

Pasta Salad with Arugula and Sundried Tomatoes

Serves 6.

We like the sweet flavor and pliable texture of oil-cured sun-dried tomatoes. Rinse them well to remove any excess oil. This recipe was published in our cookbook The Best Light Recipe.

Ingredients

1/4	cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes , rinsed, patted dry, and minced
2	tablespoons minced red onion
3	tablespoons red wine vinegar
	Salt
8	ounces penne pasta (about 2 1/2 cups)
2	cups arugula (lightly packed)
1	tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
2	tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2	teaspoons Dijon mustard
1	small garlic clove , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1/2 teaspoon)
1/8	teaspoon red pepper flakes
1	ounce grated provolone cheese (about 1/3 cup)
	Ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Toss the sun-dried tomatoes, onion, 1 tablespoon of the vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt together; set aside. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large Dutch oven. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta; cook until the pasta is al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water until cool. Drain the pasta well and transfer it to the bowl with the vegetables. Add the arugula and parsley; toss to combine.

2. Whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar, the oil, mustard, garlic, and pepper flakes together in a small bowl, then toss with pasta and vegetables until combined. Stir in the provolone and season with salt and pepper to taste.

The result: The chicken picatta was SOOO bitter from the lemons being cooked with the sauce. When I make this again- I will b/c it had so much potential, I will NOT cook the lemon slices in the sauce. Definitely the first recipe I've found on cooks illustrated that needs to be changed. The pasta salad was really light and tasty. I will definitely make this again, and not make any changes to it! Don't be afraid to add the pepper flakes- they added zing and flavor, but not too much heat.