In my bestselling novel, New York Fried, various international delegations visited the complex in Oswego, N.Y., to experience the new technology that would revolutionize internet around the world. While there, Chef Artichoke Hart (also an ex-CIA trainer), was tasked with feeding the visitors. His idea was to offer a traditional dish native to their country but with an American twist.

When the Italians came, this was the dish he prepared. Though later we find that some were indeed Sicilian, not Italian, the dish was still a big hit. The American twist? A creamy garlic sauce instead of a straight lemon sauce, and the incorporation of Sorrento’s famous lemon-based liqueur: limoncello.

INGREDIENTS (for 4 people)

FOR THE CHICKEN:
2 large boneless and skinless chicken breasts, halved and smashed to 1/8 inch in depth
1 tspn garlic powder
1 tspn salt
cracked pepper
juice of half a lemon
4 tblsn flour

FOR THE SAUCE:
1 tbls butter
2 tspns olive or lemon-infused oil
1 medium sized brown onion
2 tbsn minced garlic (or 6-8 garlic, minced)
1 and 1/4 cup chicken broth (stock)
2/3 cup light cooking cream (I use 1/2 and 1/2)
1 tspn cornstarch mixe with 1 tbsn water
2-3 tbsns limoncello liqueur (lemon juice if liquor isn’t available)
2 tspn dried Italian mixed herbs
2 tbsns fresh parsley chopped
lemon wedges or slices to serve

METHOD

1. Season chicken with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Squeeze the lemon juice of half a lemon over each fillet, rubbing it into each fillet. (remember, you’ve already halved and smashed them so they are thin and wide) Add the flour to a shallow bowl and dredge each fillet in the flour; shake off excess and set aside.
2. Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet or non-stick pan over medium-high heat until butter has melted and pan is hot. Fry the chicken until golden on each side, cooked through and no longer pink (about 4-5 min). Transfer to a warming plate.
3. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and fry until onion is translucent (about 3 min). Reduce heat to low-medium heat, add the broth. Season with salt and pepper, and continue to cook to reduce down slightly (about 6 min). Add in the cream and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer for about 5 min until it begins to thicken. (If the sauce is too runny for your liking, add the cornstarch/water mixture into the center of the pan and mix through fast to combine into the sauce. It will begin to thicken immediately).
4. Pour in the limoncello (lemon juice), allow to simmer gently for a further minute to combine. Stir in the Italian herbs. Add the chicken back into the pan, cover with the sauce and serve over rice, pasta, steamed vegetables or noodles. Garnish with lemon slices or wedges and parsley.

Calories per serving: 228

This and other recipes occasionally pop up in the Artichoke Hart series (available here), or the London Cartwright series (available here). Both chefs are fictional… the dishes are not.