parmigiano reggiano crusted chicken piccata are feel-good favorites. I make cozy meals for myself or for my family at the end of especially long days, on nights when I feel a cold coming on, or when we are in need of a little cheering up at your house.

SERVES 4

Ingredients:

4 pieces of boneless skinless chicken breast (6 ounces each)

¼ cup all-purpose flour, for dredging

1 egg, beaten

1 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus a handful or two to

toss with the pasta

3 tablespoons EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)

4 large peeled garlic cloves, grated or mashed to a paste

12 caperberries, thinly sliced, or 3 tablespoons capers in brine, drained and

patted dry

2 lemons, 1 very thinly sliced, 1 halved

½ cup dry white wine (eyeball it)

¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Salt

½ pound angel hair pasta

½ cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces

¼ pound baby spinach leaves, 3 to 4 handfuls

Black pepper

Method:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. While the water is heating, pound the chicken with a mallet or a small skillet between sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap to ¼ inch thick. Dredge the chicken in the flour, coat in the egg, then press and coat with the cup of cheese.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the EVOO in a large nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes on each side until deeply golden in color. Transfer the chicken to a rack on a baking sheet.

Add 1 more tablespoon of EVOO, then the garlic, sliced caperberries or capers, and thinly sliced lemon. Sauté for 2 minutes, then stir in the wine, reduce for a minute, then lower the heat to simmer/low. Add the parsley.

When the pasta water comes to a boil, add salt and cook the pasta to al dente, about 3 minutes. Heads up: You will need to reserve a ladle of cooking water before draining.

Add the chicken stock to the lemon-caper sauce and stir for 1 minute, then add the cold butter and melt it into the sauce. Add the juice of 1 lemon to the pan. Place the chicken on a platter and spoon a little sauce over it.

To the remaining sauce, add the spinach and wilt it in. Add the reserved ladle of starchy cooking water to the sauce, drain the pasta, and toss with the sauce and spinach for 1 minute.

Season the pasta with salt and pepper and a little cheese, and serve alongside the chicken.