As
with any old recipe, there are numerous theories as to how the dish
came to be named. The one I subscribe to claims it's an Italian
adaptation of the French word "piquer," which means to prick or poke with something sharp. This makes absolutely no sense, until you taste it.
The
"to prick" is apparently a metaphor for the sharp, intensely flavored
sauce. Thanks to lots of lemon, capers, and wine, this sauce is about as
subtle as a right hook (apologies to non-boxing fans for the
reference).
Here,
I've demonstrated a very basic version of a recipe that begs for
variation. I'll sometimes add minced shallots, or garlic; sometimes I'll
use wine, other times just straight lemon. Italian parsley is wonderful
as the finishing herb, but switching that out for tarragon or basil
will also bring much pleasure.
One
note about the chicken: I like to use larger breasts, pounded to about
1/2-inch thick. If you are using small 6-oz chicken breasts, there's no
need to pound out. Most versions I've seen call for the meat to be
pounded extremely thin, but I believe this comes from the fact that the
original recipe used thin veal medallions, aka scaloppini.
