We have made versions of this recipe for quite a few years, and it is close to a classic recipe.  When we came across a bottle of preserved Meyer lemon (Lulu Gourmet, found at Sur La Table), we thought we’d take a shot at updating this classic recipe.  This recipe would probably work with regular preserved lemons, but the Meyer lemons definitely took this dish up a notch.

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breast halves, or 8 thighs (or a combination)
• All purpose flour (about 3-4 tablespoons for dusting)
• Italian seasonings (we use the Serious Foodie Sette Erbe)
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, and 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup dry white wine (Soave works well in this recipe)
• 1/2 cup sliced pitted green Sicilian olives (or other brine-cured green olives)
• 2 tablespoons drained capers
• 1 1/2 cup chicken stock
• Juice and zest from 1/2 Meyer lemon
• 1 piece preserved Meyer lemon, finely diced
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

• Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper and the Italian seasonings.  Dust the chicken pieces with flours, and shake off any excess.
• Heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the chicken, and brown on both sides; remove the chicken, and leave only 2-3 tablespoons of fat.
• Add the tomato, then a sprinkle of salt; saute for about 2 minutes.
• Add the wine, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the skillet, and cook over medium heat until the wine reduces to about one half (about 3 minutes).  Add the capers, olives, capers, Meyer lemon juice, zest, and the preserved lemon pieces.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.  Cover, and cook on low flame for 15-20 minutes.
• Uncover, and increase the heat to medium high.  Boil the liquid until reduced by one half.  Lower the heat, and swirl in the butter, then add the parsley.

We served this dish over Cipriani Tagliarelle Extra Thin Egg Pasta (specialty food stores, and also found on Amazon), along with some simple sauteed spinach.  Angel hair pasta would also work well.
We’ve used this recipe also with fish – it was perfect with Chilean sea bass.
Serve a bright white wine, such as a Pouilly Fume, a New Zealand sauvignon blanc (Dog Point is one of our favorites), Lugana (click HERE to see our review), or a vermentino from Sardinia.  You can also match this dish with a bright, light red, such as Lagrein (click HERE to see our review), a Chinon from Loire Valley, or a light-bodied pinot noir (try a Domaine Serene from Oregon).