Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Salsa Verde

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup lightly packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 3 tablespoons drained capers
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 whole
• 2 minced
• 4 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 boneless
• skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/3 pounds in all)
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Instructions

1. Put the parsley, capers, the whole garlic clove, the lemon juice, anchovy paste, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper into a food processor or blender.
2. Pulse just to chop, six to eight times.
3. With the machine running, add the 1/2 cup oil in a thin stream to make a slightly coarse puree.
4. Leave this salsa verde in the food processor; if necessary, pulse to re-emulsify just before serving.
5. In a large frying pan, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over moderate heat.
6. Season the chicken breasts with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper and the thyme and put them in the hot pan.
7. Cook the chicken until brown, about 5 minutes.
8. Turn and cook until almost done, about 3 minutes longer.
9. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring.
10. Cover the pan, remove from the heat, and let steam 5 minutes.
11. Serve the breasts with their juices and then the salsa verde poured over the top.