Supersize Me! Chicken piccata(ish) to invigorate post-festive palatesZING! KAPOW! RE-ENERGISE YOUR 'BUDS
So, how was it for you? There are four distinct phases of festive excess, in my mind: an arc from anticipation through satisfaction, excess, and finally, exhaustion. At this stage - i.e. the new year - I’m ready for something to jump-start my palate. I want acidity, brininess, heat and fragrance, and I want them all at once. Nothing too lean, mind. There will be no penance. Enter this dish of turbo-charged chicken piccata with svelte angel hair pasta. Like flinging a door open on a stuffy room, this dish brings a flurry of fresh air and the wiggly, tingly promise of a world beyond the stale. The sauce has a little weight, still, twinkling with the emulsification of wine and butter, and the frizzled capers and citrus bring the necessary frisson. This is a riff on the Italian-American classic, slightly tweaked to my own tastes. It’s easy, and uses storecupboard-y bits like capers and anchovies (the latter not traditional), which always feel like I’m making something from nothing, even though capers and anchovies are actually top-notch ingredients. I guess ‘storecupboard’ equates to ‘well-loved and often used’, so perhaps we should rename them. Something less dreary?
As I said, the anchovies aren’t traditional and neither is the chilli, but since I am apparently addicted to both, you can see how this happened. Leave them out if you wish. This is a versatile recipe, as good for a quiet dinner as it is for feeding other people, and it’s quick to cook, which means the chicken doesn’t dry out. You can use any combination of soft herbs in the pasta, or just one variety, but stay away from anything woody like thyme, rosemary or sage. Before I go, a reminder that next week marks the start of an exciting new chapter for this newsletter, where we will explore monthly themes, exploding in all directions like a mad meteor shower. There will be some fun surprises along the way, too, so buckle up and enjoy the ride. I’m so looking forward to sharing everything with you in 2026! Happy New Year, Flavour Fans. Helen x ... Continue reading this post for free in the Substack app
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Friday, January 2, 2026
Supersize Me! Chicken piccata(ish) to invigorate post-festive palates
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