Dinner Tonight: Lemon Caper Butter Chicken, Pearl Barley and Mushroom Risotto, and Steamed Broccoli [Recipes]

My sister-in-law and I are both avid at-home cookers. I can't remember the last time I cracked the seal on a frozen dinner or opened a bag of pizza rolls. I'm like the Pioneer Woman minus the ranch in Oklahoma and TV show.

Last night, I made a Lemon Chicken recipe my sis sent to me but did some tweaking. I saw 12 tbsp of butter and almost had a heart-attack. I also wanted a carb side that was held a little more flavorful. I got a package of barley at the store and wanted to try something new - this recipe holds complimentary flavors to the chicken.

So, here goes... Lemon and caper butterflied chicken breasts, pearl barley and mushroom risotto and steamed broccoli.

Pearl Barley and Mushroom Risotto

The first thing you'll need to do is get your barley started. It takes at least 35 minutes on the stove to cook through.

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• fresh or dried herbs such as thyme, parsley and oregano
• 1 clove garlic finely chopped or pressed
• 1 finely chopped green onion
• 1 cup dry pearl barley
• 3-4 cups beef or chicken broth
• 5 chopped mushrooms (Baby bella or cremini work well)
• Salt/pepper
• 1/8 cup Parmesan cheese

1. Pour olive oil in a medium stock pan. (Stainless steel works best for this.)
2. Add onion, garlic herbs. Heat on medium high heat until onion is softening (about two minutes).
3. Add in barley and stir. Heat on M-H heat for about three minutes.
4. Add two cups of chicken or beef stock. Bring to a boil.
5. Simmer for 10 minutes. Check to see if liquid has boiled down. Add an additional cup of stock and simmer for another 15 minutes. Check barley again - if it's absorbed liquid again, add an additional 1/2 cups of stock or water. You want your risotto to have a sauce-like coating on outside but not watery. Cook for an additional 10-15 minutes and check consistency of barley. Should be easy to chew but a little firm.
6. Add mushrooms in last five minutes of cooking.
7. Top with salt, pepper and Parmesan.

Basic Sauteed Butterflied Chicken Breasts

4 large chicken breasts

1. While your barley is cooking, butterfly your chicken breasts. Start with thickest side and cut right down the middle until you almost reach the other side but don't slit all the way through.
2. Place each breast into a ziplock bag and beat with a meat tenderizer. This is a good time to get all your aggression out.
3. Heat 5 tablespoons olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. NOTE: I LOVE (love) ceramic pans for sauteing anything because you'll achieve a golden brown that is unreplicable on any other pan.
4. Dredge chicken in flour, parm and salt/pepper mixture. Gently place in hot oil. Cover and heat 10 minutes on each side or until golden brown and no longer pink the middle.
5. Heat oven to 275 and place chicken on a cookie sheet when it's done in the pan to keep it warm while finishing the rest of your meal.

Lemon Caper Butter Sauce

1 tbsp butter

1. Melt 1 tbsp butter in a sauce pan. Add onion, garlic and lemon zest. Heat until onion is translucent.
2. Add lemon juice and wine. Boil until reduced - about five mins.
3. Add butter, olive oil, capers and parsley. When butter is melted, take off stove.
4. Pour wine sauce over chicken.

Steamed Broccoli

1. Cut florets off a head of broccoli into bite size pieces.
2. Place in a covered microwave safe container.
3. Add 3 tbsp water
4. Sprinkle with salt pepper.
5. Cook in microwave for five minutes.