Chicken Piccata

Add the pounded chicken breasts to a large sealable container. Pour buttermilk over chicken, and add 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper. Toss to combine, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours

Add flour, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and paprika to a large mixing bowl. Remove the chicken breasts from the refrigerator and dredge them in the flour mixture until they are fully coated. Place chicken on a cooling rack over a sheet pan and allow to rest for 15 minutes, giving any excess dredge a chance to drip away. Discard any remaining flour mixture.

Add canola oil to a non-stick skillet over medium heat. When the oil heats up, place the chicken breasts in the skillet 2 at a time, and sauté until cooked through (approximately 8 minutes total, turning every 2 minutes). Remove the cooked chicken breasts from the skillet, rest them on a plate, and set aside.

Without wiping the skillet clean, add 4 tablespoons butter and allow it to melt. Once melted, add garlic, capers, lemon zest, crushed red pepper, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic becomes golden and fragrant (about 1 minute).

Add white wine and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Add lemon juice and gently simmer until the sauce begins to thicken (about 3 minutes).

Reduce heat to low and add remaining 1 tablespoon of cold butter. Stir until the butter fully melts and the sauce takes on a rich sheen.

Return the chicken breasts to the skillet and gently stir until the chicken is fully coated and the sauce clings to it.

Serve one breast per plate alongside pasta or polenta. Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper and garnish with torn herbs, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, and lemon wedges.