Sautéed Lemon Chicken with Fried Capers

This recipe looked fairly easy when chef Sara Moulton prepared it on as episode of her PBS program Sara's Weeknight Meals. I'm always looking for new (and easy) ways to prepare chicken and . . . 

We had not only chicken cutlets, but ALL other ingredients, including the shallots and capers (bought for one of Grenville's culinary creations). 

While the recipe isn't  difficult, be forewarned there will be splattered oil (hopefully not on you) when the capers and chicken breasts are fried; yes, even with the medium-high heat setting. Start to finish, including prep time is about 45 minutes. (This recipe serves 4 people or 2 with leftovers.) I halved it and used a half pound of chicken cutlets.

Sautéed Lemon Chicken with Fried Capers

• 1 lb. chicken breast cutlets, thin sliced
• 1/4 C + 1 TBSP vegetable oil, divided
• 3 TBSP capers, rinsed, drained, dried
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• All-purpose flour (Wondra) for dredging the chicken
• 1 lemon sliced very thin crosswise
• 2 TBSP sugar
• 2 TBSP minced shallots
• 1-1/4 C chicken broth

1. Working with 1 cutlet at a time, place chicken in resealable plastic bag, add few teaspoons of water and pound chicken in bag with a meat pounder or rolling pin, until it is 1/8-inch thick. 
2. Transfer to a plate and repeat procedure with remaining chicken. Cut chicken in half if slices are too large to sauté easily; pat chicken dry.
3. In large skillet combine oil with capers, turn heat to medium high and cook capers, stirring, until crispy, about 2 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer capers to small bowl. Remove skillet from heat while preparing chicken.
4. Working with half the chicken at a time, season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper and dip in flour, shaking off excess. Heat skillet over medium high heat, reduce heat to medium and add chicken. Cook until lightly golden, about 2 minutes a side. Transfer cooked chicken to a plate.
5. Season and flour remaining chicken and sauté in 2 tablespoons of remaining oil, transferring cooked chicken to plate.
6. Dip lemon slices in sugar, coating lightly on both sides and add to skillet. Cook over medium heat, until lightly caramelized, about 1 minute a side. Transfer to plate with chicken, add remaining tablespoon oil and shallots to pan and cook 1 minute, stirring.
7. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil, scraping up brown bits at bottom of pan. Return chicken and lemon slices to pan, along with any juices from plate the chicken was on and simmer very gently, turning chicken over several times, until heated through.
8. Transfer chicken to plates and simmer sauce until it thickens. Spoon sauce and lemon slices over chicken and top with fried capers.

Capers are unripened flower buds of Capparis spinosa or Capparis inermis, prickly, perennial plants native to the Mediterranean and some parts of Asia. Brined or dried, they are valued for the burst of flavor they give to foods, one described as lemon, or olive-like. Buds are harvested, sun-dried, then pickled in vinegar, brine, wine, or salt. This curing brings out a tangy lemony flavor and because caper buds are hand-picked, a small jar can be pricey. 

Grenville declared this first-time dish another "keeper" with a forks up.