Fifteen years ago, I made the first of what would become thousands of meals for my husband, Philippe. Back then, it was our fifth date, and he was visiting my tiny Parisian apartment for the first time, where we planned an evening of binging on episodes of “Friends” on the VCR.
For our date, I wanted to make something special, but also simple. I didn’t want to be stuck in the kitchen, worried about executing a complicated, unforgiving dish. I needed something that oozed effortless culinary prowess, but that didn’t look like I was trying too hard to impress quite yet. In the words of that show’s Monica Geller, I wanted a meal that said, “I’m breezy.”
I made a tried-and-true dish I knew I could do with my eyes closed — my 4-step chicken. Four-step chicken is a versatile recipe that can be made with whatever you have in the pantry. First, you dredge and sauté the chicken. Next, you sauté some veggies. Then you deglaze the pan with some liquid. Finally, you finish up the sauce. Done.
The chicken I made that night was a lemony piccata-style dish, with some added items such as mushrooms and artichoke hearts. It was the perfect balance of something a little special, but super easy to manage after a long day of work. This also happens to be a great date night dish because it packs lots of flavor without using onions or garlic.