Why does Mark get this 15 minutes of fame? Because even though it’s my birthday dinner, today’s recipe — his recipe — takes but 15 minutes to make and less time to eat, if you like it as much as I do. Yes, Mark can cook, and could do so even before I met him. I rarely let him in the kitchen.
When Mark first told me he was going to make me Chicken Piccata, I didn’t think twice about it. But when he went out to the garden to pick rosemary, started chopping a shallot, and measuring our red pepper flakes… I became curious to find out what he was making. It turns out that his recipe is loosely based on chicken piccata. It has lemon and capers, but that is where the similarities end. That is when I decided to rename it Chicken Marccata.
Naturally, having control issues in the kitchen, I hovered and asked him what on earth he was doing. [There may or may not have been expletives included…] It was at this point that I felt I needed to tell him that the dish he was making was not chicken piccata after all. I couldn’t help myself; he needed to know. (He laughed.)
The fact that it is not chicken piccata doesn’t mean it’s not delicious. It is as flavorful and simple to make as actual chicken piccata. And, thus, it deserves a name of its own.
~ David
Ingredients
- 2 6-8 ounce chicken breasts
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 shallot, minced
- a 5-inch sprig fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more, to taste)
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 heaping tablespoon capers
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Heat a large 10-inch to 12-inch skillet over medium high heat. While the pan is heating, slice the chicken breasts into two pieces horizontally so that each breast becomes two thin slices. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Add 1 tablespoon oil to the pain and tilt the pan to coat. Add the chicken breast slices and let them sauté until lightly browned, then flip and cook the other side till browned. Remove them from the pan and set them on a plate.
- Add remaining oil to the skillet and sauté the shallot, rosemary, and red pepper flakes until the shallot begins to brown. Deglaze the pan with the wine and lemon juice. When slightly reduced, add the capers and butter, swirling the butter to create the sauce. Return the chicken to the pan and turn it to coat, just long enough to reheat it.
- Divide the chicken pieces between two warmed plates and spoon sauce and capers over top. Garnish with lemon and rosemary.
- Serves 2.
- Note: this time, I served it with steamed broccoli, tossing any remaining sauce with the broccoli. It was a great combination!
© 2024 Copyright Cocoa & Lavender
Laura Brown
August 28, 2021 at 5:34 amFun story. Chicken Marccata. Love it.
Hope you’re having a nice celebration 🍾 and a good weekend.
Me
Cocoa & Lavender
August 28, 2021 at 8:44 amIt is really tasty! Maybe we will make it for you sometime! 💙
Donn Poll
August 28, 2021 at 6:39 amBeautiful post as usual – happy birthday.
Cocoa & Lavender
August 28, 2021 at 8:45 amThanks, Donn – hope you are both well!
Ellen S.
August 28, 2021 at 6:48 amHi David and Mark, I love everything about this post including the name Chicken Marcatta! I’ll make it soon. Somewhat unrelated question though: how does one get a set of those plates??? (Please please don’t tell me to time-travel back to 1920’s Vienna or Prague; I don’t want to bump into my grandparents. That never goes well.) The delicate pattern is interesting but doesn’t distract from the delicious-looking food. It looks stunning with the napkin too. Your food styling puts even the old Gourmet Magazine to shame!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 28, 2021 at 8:48 amHi Ellen! I think you will enjoy Mark’s creation! As for the plates, I love your disinclination to go back and hang out with your grandparents… they are hard to find, though. They are Dansk and the pattern is Classic Dansk. I am in total agreement with you – nice china that doesn’t make the food look bad is hard to find. And THANK you for that kind comment about my styling! 💙
Ellen
August 28, 2021 at 11:43 amThank you David, for sharing the name of this beautiful china pattern. I was sure you’d tell me the plate came from a flea market in Krakow or Budapest and was the only piece of the original set you possessed, along with a cracked bowl, purchased from an old lady in a headscarf just for the sake of wonderful food photos. And while you were there you bumped into my grandparents… I like this story; feel free to use it! Meanwhile I’ll be combing eBay for Classic Dansk. Thanks again!
David Scott Allen
August 28, 2021 at 1:47 pmI did check eBay and found 8-10 plates on one site. I hope you find some, Ellen.
Ron
August 30, 2021 at 6:00 amDavid, in looking at the plate I would think Ellen might also like Royal Copenhagen china which is very similar. Here’s their link. https://www.royalcopenhagen.com/en-se
Now, I have to check out your dansk china as it’s new to me. In case you didn’t know, I’m a bit of a china nerd.
Susan Beesemyer
August 28, 2021 at 6:51 amYum!
My favorite chicken things!Hope your day was fabulous.
Susan
Cocoa & Lavender
August 28, 2021 at 8:48 amThanks, Susan – it has been beautiful!
Chef Mimi
August 28, 2021 at 7:12 amMmmmmmm I actually think I like this better! I don’t like too much overpowering lemon flavor, so I like the rosemary and shallots added to this. Wonderful! And I’m secretly glad my husband doesn’t cook. It would drive me crazy. Control issues indeed.
Cocoa & Lavender
August 28, 2021 at 8:49 amI think many of us share control issues, Mimi! But aren’t our better halves lucky we do?
Edna Meza-Aguirre
August 28, 2021 at 7:13 amFeliz Cumple! I love that you have kitchen control issues. So do I. xoxo
Cocoa & Lavender
August 28, 2021 at 8:49 amThanks, Edna! 💙
John / Kitchen Riffs
August 28, 2021 at 8:21 amHeck, I don’t care what you call it, I call it good! Very nice version — I particularly like the inclusion of rosemary. Thanks.
Cocoa & Lavender
August 28, 2021 at 8:49 amThe rosemary makes it, John! So flavorful!
Melissa
August 28, 2021 at 8:23 amHappy birthday, David! Yeah, count me in on the kitchen control issues too.
The recipe looks great. I’ll be trying it out soon.
Cocoa & Lavender
August 28, 2021 at 8:50 amThanks Missy. Maybe I should have called the blog Kitchen Issues.
Fran @ G'day Souffle'
August 28, 2021 at 8:25 amI wish my husband did some of the cooking- I’m getting a bit tired of doing all of it (plus the clean-up)! I looked up a recipe for Chicken Piccata and it looks like the difference is the ‘real’ chicken piccata uses flour to coat the chicken, plus doesn’t use chilli flakes (or wine). I prefer adding a little heat to the recipe, as Mark did, so I’ll add a new recipe to my vocabulary- Chicken Marccata!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 28, 2021 at 8:51 amWell, the good thing is that Mark (mostly) does all the clean up!
Sippity Sup
August 28, 2021 at 8:30 amHappy birthday! The Marccata is magnificent. GREG
Cocoa & Lavender
August 28, 2021 at 8:51 amThanks, Greg – and, yes, it is magnificent!
Jane Sanders
August 28, 2021 at 9:09 amWe promise to take more than 15 minutes to eat it, so that Mark will have even more “fame time”!
You are both so talented in so many ways. And Happy Birthday to you David – may your days be filled with health and happiness.
Cocoa & Lavender
August 28, 2021 at 9:16 amThanks, Jane and Larry! We look forward to making it for you when you return to T-town.
Frank
August 28, 2021 at 11:52 amI have to say, this actually does sound really good. And that’s coming from someone who isn’t a big fan of chicken breast. Kudos to Markipedia!
David Scott Allen
August 28, 2021 at 1:44 pmHe has won me over, Frank!
Peg Peterson
August 28, 2021 at 12:29 pmI am a huge chicken piccata lover and this recipe sounds divine. Thanks, Mark, for this wonderful take. Can’t wait to make it!
David Scott Allen
August 28, 2021 at 1:45 pmI know you will like it, Peg – it’s really good!
John
August 28, 2021 at 3:03 pmI love this post, David. I can totally relate to the so-called control issues in the kitchen. It is our domain, after all! I’m definitely making Chicken Marccata as the flavours sound perfect. Are they your homegrown chiltepins?
Cocoa & Lavender
September 12, 2021 at 10:03 amYes, John, they are indeed our homegrown chiltepins. We have an amazing crop coming this year, for which I’m very excited. We had an off year last year (no rain) and I was getting worried. But our Chiltipin plant is now about 8 feet tall and the entire crown is covered with chiles.
Eha
August 28, 2021 at 5:03 pmDavid – I do hope you had a wondrously happy and heart-warming day – happy birthday and a healthy, productive and satisfying year to come . . . Methinks Markipedia did a beautiful job and supervision was entirely unnecessary :_ !! Do hope you are enjoying the weekend . . .
Cocoa & Lavender
September 12, 2021 at 10:04 amOh, I don’t think supervision was unnecessary. Once you get to know Markipedia , you will understand! In addition to the stove top supervision, there’s no way he could’ve done the plating. But, that said, it’s a fantastic recipe and I love when he makes it!
2pots2cook
August 30, 2021 at 3:10 amHappy birthday David ! Whenever I read your posts they make me smile; it’s your discrete doses of humor that make me understand how handicapped I am not to be native English speaking one and write the same way…
All the best, D.
Cocoa & Lavender
September 12, 2021 at 10:04 amWhat a kind comment, Davorka — when I started the blog, I had no idea that writing it was going to be one of my favorite parts.
Pauline
August 30, 2021 at 4:03 amThis looks so very delicious David, and what a lovely thing to have done for you on your birthday. It reminds me a little of Chicken Marbella one of my favourite dishes. Beautiful presentation and I love those plates as well. The name really doesn’t matter, it’s a winner.
Cocoa & Lavender
September 12, 2021 at 10:05 amWe also love chicken Marbella. It’s so flavorful, and really quite easy. Thanks for your kind comment, Pauline.
Ron
August 30, 2021 at 5:55 amHappy birthday David. Mark presented a lovely dish on a lovely dish and one that can land on our table these days. I love the sauce tossed with broccoli idea. I also think it would be mighty tasty served with warm polenta.
I think anyone who tastes their art of cooking seriously has kitchen control issues. But, with that said one must relinquish control of the kitchen when one isn’t the chef or so Eva tells me…
Cocoa & Lavender
September 12, 2021 at 10:06 am“Or so Eva tells you…“ There in lies the crux. I just got several new toys in the kitchen (induction stove top, incredible dishwasher), so I am really asserting my power over the domain. It’s a really nice dish, Ron. I’m sure you will enjoy it very much whether made by you or Eva!
Valentina
August 30, 2021 at 6:53 amI love everything about this post — from the gathering of ingredients in the garden and your controlling ways in the kitchen (I’m the same, though I’m sure you’re much more delightful about it), to the dish itself and the fabulous name it has been given. And happy birthday! 🙂 ~Valentina
Cocoa & Lavender
September 12, 2021 at 10:07 amThank you so much for thinking I might be more “delightful“ about it, Valentina. I’m not sure my better half would agree…
Karen (Back Road Journal)
August 30, 2021 at 7:24 amA belated but heartfelt happy birthday David. Chicken Marccata sounds delicious, I like Mark’s creativeness. He deserves another 15 minutes of fame I think so he can create another new dish just for you. 😊
Cocoa & Lavender
September 12, 2021 at 10:07 amThanks for the birthday wishes, Karen! I would be happy to have him create another new dish!
gloria Roa Baker
August 30, 2021 at 8:19 pmHappy bisrthday dear David! and really love this chicken!! hugs to you ! xo
Cocoa & Lavender
September 12, 2021 at 10:07 amThanks so much, Gloria. It was a lovely day!
Aarthi
August 31, 2021 at 2:41 pmBelated birthday wishes, David! This sounds like a delicious meal for the birthday. We like chicken piccata and this one looks similar to it, is there any substitute for wine?
Cocoa & Lavender
September 12, 2021 at 10:08 amHello, Aarthi. I think the easiest substitution would be chicken broth. It might help to add a little extra lemon juice, as well. Thank you so much for the birthday wishes!
Raymund
August 31, 2021 at 6:05 pmHappy Birthday David! Clever name for a dish.
Cocoa & Lavender
September 12, 2021 at 10:08 amThanks, Raymund – I try to be creative when I can!
Inger @ Art of Natural Living
September 4, 2021 at 1:21 pmCute name! Happy birthday!
Cocoa & Lavender
September 12, 2021 at 10:09 amThanks, Inger!
Jeff the Chef
September 6, 2021 at 8:51 amI think I’d really like this!
Cocoa & Lavender
September 7, 2021 at 6:24 amI think so, too.