Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Salsa Verde

Perk up boneless chicken breasts with piquant salsa verde. In Italy this tangy green sauce often accompanies poached chicken or fish and boiled meat. We think it's delicious on sautéed and grilled foods as well. RECIPE 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

DIRECTIONS 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. Pulse just to chop, six to eight times. With the machine running, add the 1/2 cup oil in a thin stream to make a slightly coarse puree. Leave this salsa verde in the food processor; if necessary, pulse to re-emulsify just before serving. In a large frying pan, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over moderate heat. 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. Cook the chicken until brown, about 5 minutes. Turn and cook until almost done, about 3 minutes longer. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring. Cover the pan, remove from the heat, and let steam 5 minutes. Serve the breasts with their juices and then the salsa verde poured over the top.