Take your chicken breasts, place them between two pieces of plastic

wrap and then use a mallet, a rolling pin, or — since I usually don't have the mallet on hand — the

bottom of a heavy pot. Aim for about ¼-inch thick all over the piece. It's not just a matter of

appearance; having an even thickness ensures that the chicken cooks uniformly throughout, so you

won't end up with a dry exterior and a raw centre. Once you've finished, season both sides.

It's that simple — just dust each piece lightly with flour and shake off any

that doesn't adhere. There's no need for an egg wash or breadcrumbs. The thin layer of flour is

precisely what you want because it crisps up quickly and provides the sauce with something to stick to

later.

Place the olive oil and one tablespoon of butter in a large skillet

and heat them over medium-high heat. The oil should be hot (I'm talking about actually hot, not just

warm), after which put the chicken into the pan without overcrowding it — if necessary, do this in two

batches. Overcrowding is the problem in this case; putting in too much chicken all at once will lower

the temperature of the pan and cause the chicken to steam rather than brown, since nobody wants

pale chicken. Cook it for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until it is deeply golden and fully cooked, then

remove it and place it on a plate, covering it loosely with foil.

By all means, don't wash it, since the bits that have browned at

the bottom are valuable for flavour. Reduce the heat to medium, then melt the final tablespoon of

butter and add the garlic and capers. Stir it for about a minute, just until it has an amazing smell.

Nevertheless, keep a close eye on it because burnt garlic becomes bitter very quickly and once that

has happened there's no going back.

Pour in the lemon juice along with the chicken broth, and

then use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the bits that are stuck to the pan. Let it boil for 4 to 5

minutes until it thickens a little and begins to smell wonderful.

Take the pan off the heat and then add the cold butter cubes a few at a

time, allowing each one to melt before going on to the next. It is because of this that the sauce ends

up being silky rather than watery or greasy — a technique taken from French cooking, even if you

don't need to know that to carry it out. Taste it and make any necessary adjustments to the salt, and

add the red pepper flakes if you would like some heat.

Spread the shiny sauce over the chicken, scatter some parsley on top, and serve it

with lemon wedges so that people can put more on if they desire.

Wash the capers. If you skip that step the sauce will become far too salty — I've found out the hard

way.

We want only fresh lemon juice. Bottled juice just isn't as bright. I really mean it, it's that different.

Don't pile too much into the pan. It may seem quicker to add everything in at once, but it isn't; you'll

simply end up with sad, steamed chicken.

Make sure the butter remains cold. If it's at room temperature it won't emulsify the same way and

the sauce will end up looking a bit broken rather than smooth.

•

If you'd like to vary the ingredients, why not add some baby spinach or some chopped artichokes right

after you've poured in the broth – they lose their firmness quickly and provide a pleasant earthy

flavour.

Adding sautéed mushrooms before reaching the sauce stage also gives the dish a rich, savoury taste.

For a richer result, mix in a little heavy cream along with the butter and this will finish the dish off

wonderfully.

And if you're cutting down on carbohydrates, use almond flour rather than the regular flour, serving it

with zucchini noodles.

It will remain in the fridge for approximately two days when stored in a sealed container. The sauce

usually thickens as it stands, so when you're reheating it add a bit of broth or water — reheat it slowly in

a skillet so that the chicken doesn't become rubbery. The sauce by itself freezes very well and can be

kept in the freezer for up to three months if you'd like to make a larger quantity