Chicken Piccata
This easy Chicken Piccata recipe is a classic Italian-American dish featuring tender chicken breasts simmered in a zesty lemon butter caper sauce with white wine. It’s quick and simple to make at home!
Ingredients
- 3 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts 500 g
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 60 g All-Purpose Flour
- 4 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
For the Piccata Sauce:
- 1 Small Shallot Finely Chopped
- 2 Garlic Cloves Minced
- 120 ml Dry White Wine
- 240 ml Chicken Stock
- Juice of 1 Lemon About 2 to 2 ½ Tablespoons
- 40 g Capers
- 75 g Unsalted Butter
- 2 tablespoon Fresh Parsley Chopped
Instructions
- Start by pounding the chicken breasts to an even thickness, about ½ inch (1.3 cm) thick.
- Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and black pepper.
- Dredge the chicken breasts in flour, shaking off any excess.
- Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the chicken breasts to the skillet and cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through.
- Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
- In the same skillet, add the chopped shallot and minced garlic, sautéing for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in the dry white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Let the wine reduce for about 2 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Add the capers and pour in the chicken stock. Simmer the mixture and reduce by half.
- Stir in the lemon juice and let the sauce simmer for another 2-3 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Reduce the heat to low and swirl in the unsalted butter, a few pieces at a time, until melted and the sauce is creamy.
- Return the chicken breasts to the skillet, spooning some of the sauce over the chicken.
- Simmer gently for another minute or so to heat the chicken through and allow it to absorb some of the flavors.
- Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the chicken piccata just before serving.
- Serve the chicken piccata hot with extra sauce drizzled over the top if desired.
Notes
Pound or Cut the Chicken: If the chicken breasts are thick, cutting them in half lengthwise makes them easier to cook evenly. No one likes dry edges and raw centers!
Don’t Skip the Flour Coating: The light flour coating gives the chicken that beautiful golden crust while also helping to thicken the sauce. Just remember to shake off the excess.
Use Fresh Ingredients: Fresh lemon juice and parsley really brighten up the dish. Bottled lemon juice doesn’t give you the same zing, so squeeze a fresh lemon if you can.
Butter Swirling: Adding the butter at the end over low heat makes the sauce rich and creamy. Keep the heat gentle so the butter melts smoothly instead of separating.
Don’t Skip the Simmer: When you return the chicken to the skillet, let it simmer in the sauce for a minute or two. It makes the chicken extra flavorful as it soaks up all the goodness.
Taste the Sauce: Before serving, give the sauce a quick taste. If it feels too sharp, you can balance it out with a touch more butter or even a pinch of sugar.
Serve it Fresh: Chicken piccata is best served hot and fresh. If you're pairing it with pasta, rice, or veggies, make sure they’re ready to go when the chicken is done.
Nutrition
Calories: 1865kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 87g | Fat: 130g | Saturated Fat: 49g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 61g | Trans Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 386mg | Sodium: 3037mg | Potassium: 1854mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 2717IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 7mg