Lechon Chicken Pecho in Sour Cream Picatta Sauce

Prep Time:  10 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Yields: 4 servings

2 tablespoons thyme leaves

3 cloves garlic

½ cup lemon juice or juice of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon sugar

½ teaspoon salt and pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 chicken breasts, bone in and skin intact (these are large pieces I bought from Whole Foods)

Pre set the oven to roast at 400 F.

Using a food processor, puree 2 tablespoons thyme leaves, 3 cloves garlic, juice of 1 lemon or (1/2 cup lemon juice), 1 tablespoon sugar, ½ teaspoon salt and pepper with 3 tablespoons olive oil.

Rub the chicken breasts with the mixture, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes or longer.

Place in half a sheet baking pan and roast for 30 minutes until the skin is browned and chicken are completely cooked through.

Remove from the oven and cool chicken down before serving with the sauce.

SOUR CREAM PICATTA SAUCE

Note to ROME – Piccata sauce is an Italian sauce paired with fish, flattened chicken breast or veal, usually breaded, deep fried or baked. The sauce is originally made of capers, lots of lemon, white wine and heavy cream. To make the dish healthier, I used fat free heavy cream and for color I added sun dried tomatoes. The result is a bright red/orange sauce that looks perfect paired to a golden brown baked chicken.

Note: if you want the sauce to be thicker, you can temper 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with half cup of the sauce and then whisk it in the remaining sauce as you continue to cook it until desired texture is reached (usually takes 30 seconds to 1 minute)

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 7 minutes

Yields: 2 cups sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons light butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons capers, mashed

½ cup white wine

¼ cup lemon juice or juice of ½ lemon

1 cup fat free sour cream

½ cup sundried tomatoes, chopped (optional)

½ teaspoon salt and pepper

Heat a medium non stick pan in medium to high heat; 1 minute.

Add oil and butter and allow it to cook and melt the butter, 30 seconds.

Add garlic and capers and cook for about 30 seconds to a minute.

Add wine and cook for another minute to boil off the alcohol.

Add lemon juice, and whisk in the sour cream. Continue to whisk until the cream combines with the rest of the liquid completely.

Add sundried tomatoes, salt and pepper.

Turn off the stove. Transfer sauce into a small gravy boat.

Serve on the side with the lechon manok.