Almost chicken francese

There was a fabulous old, red-checked tablecloth restaurant in Hell's Kitchen in New York City called Guido's Supreme Macaroni that unfortunately closed sometime in the early 2000's. It had a store front presided over by Nonna with an old-fashioned wall unit with glass fronted drawers for different kinds of pasta. The food in the back was equally old fashioned. Their chicken francese was melt in your mouth buttery with an eggy batter. A side of spaghetti aglio/olio made for one of the richest and most satisfying meals on special occasions. I've tried to re-create the chicken and added a few alterations. I think the recipe below is slightly healthier, though of course it's not as rich. For picky eaters, just give them the fried chicken cutlets without the sauce.

1 1/2 lb. thin sliced fresh chicken cutlets (use a good brand such as Murray's, Bell & Evans, or local organic)

2 T. flour

2 eggs

1/4 c. olive oil

1 large or 2 small shallots, chopped

10-12 large Shitaake mushrooms, trim off about half of the stems, and roughly chop

1 lemon, juice and zest

1 8 oz. container low sodium chicken broth

2 T. capers, drained

white wine (optional)

Dredge chicken slices in flour, patting to coat. Beat 2 eggs and 1 T. water with a fork until frothy. Heat a large non-stick skillet to high. Add olive oil to the pan. Working near the stove and using a fork, dip each chicken slice in the egg mixture, dripping off excess. Saute until golden on one side, then turn (about 3-4 minutes per side). This will likely take about 2 batches. Lower flame if pan begins to smoke too much. Set chicken aside on a plate.

In same pan, reduce heat to medium. Add a bit more oil if needed, then add chopped shallots and mushrooms, stirring frequently for 2-3 minutes until both are softened and begin to brown. Toss in leftover flour from dredging chicken (no more than 1 T), and stir. Add lemon juice and stir. Reduce heat to low and add chicken broth in about 4 portions, stirring after each to reach a good consistency sauce. Add lemon zest, capers and fresh ground black pepper. If sauce is too thick, thin with some leftover white wine or water.

When ready to serve, add chicken to the sauce, turning to coat and heat through.

Six servings.