Orange chicken piccata with shallots is a one-pan feast for the senses

In addition to fundamental kitchen skills, food writer Lindsey Baruch s grandmother Daisy taught her something that ultimately shaped her career as a...

In addition to fundamental kitchen skills, food writer Lindsey Baruch’s grandmother Daisy taught her something that ultimately shaped her career as a cook, recipe developer, writer and photographer - the importance of using all of your senses, not only while cooking but also while enjoying food.

Baruch explains this in her new cookbook, "Something Delicious” (Ten Speed Press, 2025) where she takes a full-on sensory approach, encouraging readers to explore the smell, feel, look, sound and taste of each recipe.

This perspective resonates with me on a couple of levels. When cooking starts to feel like a chore, tapping into my senses - listening to the sizzle on the stove, tuning into the aromas wafting in the kitchen - pulls me out of my doldrums to a place of relaxed appreciation. Fully experiencing food’s sensory aspects before taking your first bite is beneficial from a nutritional point of view, too. It cues the digestive process - literally getting the juices flowing - and can ultimately enhance the satisfaction a meal provides.

This spin on chicken piccata, adapted from the book, abounds with sensory pleasure. There’s the sizzle of the chicken cutlets browning in the skillet; the transformation of the shallots as they soften, brown and turn lusciously jammy; the bright, floral aroma of the orange juice and zest - a lovely departure from the usual lemon - that form the pan sauce; and the velvety roundness from a pat of butter.

Flecked with briny capers and crushed red pepper flakes, and showered with parsley, the first bite will confirm the layers of bright flavors your eyes, ears and nose have been hinting at.