Chicken Piccata
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This Chicken Piccata recipe is quick and easy to make and will absolutely WOW your taste buds! Featuring a lemon-wine-butter-caper sauce, this classic Italian dish is absolutely mouthwatering!
What is Chicken Piccata?
Chicken Piccata is a prime example of a dish that’s quick and easy to make but will leave your guests thinking you’re a gourmet cook. Though quick and easy to make it doesn’t cut corners on taste and is tantalizingly delicious. Chicken breasts are sliced in half and then seasoned, dredged in flour, fried crispy golden and served with a tangy lemon-wine-butter-caper sauce made from the pan drippings. This Chicken Piccata recipe is something that belongs in everyone’s cooking repertoire!
Piccata originated in Italy where it is traditionally made with veal. Here in the U.S. chicken has replaced veal as the more popular choice. The delicateness of chicken lends itself perfectly to piccata but you can also make it with pork or stay true to Italian tradition and use veal.
Chicken piccata is best served immediately so that some of the crispiness remains after its dredged in the sauce. And once the chicken is breaded and fried don’t let it wait around too long or it will likewise lose its crisp texture. Even so, crispy or not, chicken piccata can be reheated and enjoyed as leftovers.
Chicken Piccata Recipe
Let’s get started!
Sprinkle each side of the chicken cutlets with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the flour on a plate and dredge the chicken pieces in it, thoroughly coating each side. Shake off the excess flour.
Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken pieces in the pan. Fry until golden brown, about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a warmed oven.
Add the garlic and shallots and cook for a minute, adding a little extra butter if needed. Add the white wine and boil until reduced in half. Stir together the chicken broth, lemon juice and flour and add it to the pan, whisking to combine. Let the sauce simmer until thickened, a minute or two. Add the capers, parsley and butter. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Return the chicken to the pan and spoon some sauce over it. Heat through.
Serve immediately. Traditionally chicken piccata is served with pasta. Alternatively you can serve it with potatoes or rice.
What to Serve with Chicken Piccata
Chicken piccata is traditionally served with pasta but if you prefer you can serve it with mashed or smashed potatoes or herbed/lemon rice. Or, as a low carb alternative, serve it over zucchini noodles.
Sides that pair well with chicken piccata include roasted vegetables, sautéed spinach, asparagus, corn on the cob, or a leafy green salad.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge where it will keep for up to 4 days. Reheat it in a pan on the stovetop, in the oven, or in the microwave until warmed through.
You can also freeze the fully cooked and cooled cutlets in freezer containers for up to 2 months. Let it thaw slowly in the refrigerator and then reheat.
For more delicious Italian recipes be sure to try my:
- Italian Pork Ribs
- Osso Buco
- Pasta alla Norma
- Fettuccine Alfredo
- Braciole
- Porchetta
- Focaccia
- Beef Ragu
- Lamb Ragu
- Bolognese
- Chicken Bolognese
- Tomato Risotto
- Polenta Lasagna
- Pizza Margherita
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Chicken Piccata
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts , cut in half lengthwise and pounded to an even thickness
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- 1 shallot , minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup quality chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup capers , rinsed and drained
- 2 tablespoons parsley
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
- sliced lemons for garnish
Instructions
- Sprinkle both sides of each chicken cutlet with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Spread the flour out on a plate and dredge each piece of chicken in the flour to thoroughly coat all sides. Shake to remove excess flour.Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the chicken until golden brown, about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate and keep warm in the oven.
- Add the garlic and shallot to the pan and fry for a minute, adding a little extra butter if needed. Add the wine and boil steadily, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until it is reduced by half.Combine the chicken broth, lemon juice and flour, stirring until dissolved. Add this mixture to the pan and simmer until thickened. Add the capers, parsley and butter.Return the chicken to the pan, coating with the sauce, and heat through for a minute. Add some sliced lemons for garnish. Serve immediately. Traditionally served with pasta. Alternatively can be served with potatoes or rice.
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet October 18, 2015
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
This sounds like a delicious dinner idea! I have added this to our menu for next week and can’t wait to taste that sauce.
I love trying new chicken dinners! The lemon-wine-butter-caper sauce has me drooling and craving this dinner all together!
One of my favorites for a dinner party! It’s simple but still impressive.
Thanks for this healthy and yummy dish.Keep posting.
I love how easy this is to make! Such a perfect meal for weeknights!
I didn’t know this dish was traditionally made with veal! That would be delicious but I think I would still prefer the chicken. Thank you for the recipe and tips! I can’t wait to make this at home.
Oh my goodness – the sauce was amazing! Definitely making this again soon!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Melissa, thank you!
I LOVE this! It looks incredibly delicious!! YUM!
this was an incredible recipe – tons of flavor! The whole family loved it.
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it, April, thank you!
Your chicken piccata recipe is the one that i’ve used for 3 or 4 years – it’s fool proof!
That’s wonderful, Kim, thank you so much! :)
Piccata refers to a method of cooking and is indeed “classic Italian”, originally made with veal. And vermouth is a standard wine pairing for chicken. Do an online search for these questions to confirm for yourself.
This recipe looks so delicious I can almost smell the aroma!
Thanks so much, Dan! :)
One of my favorites! I’ll be trying yours. For those who asked about using red vs white wines; Julia Child would tell you to use a good dry vermouth. That was in the days before most Americans knew anything about wines and/or the affordability of them. Red will change the color and flavor. I’ve used it and while it was ok, I prefer using a good dry white or vermouth.
Thanks for your insights on this, Sylvia, and hope you enjoy this!
One of my favorite meals and it’s been way to long! This looks delish!
Thanks, Susan! I know, I really should make it more often, too!
Mmmm, chicken piccata is an old favorite! You can’t go wrong with butter, lemon and capers. (and all those other tasty flavors)
Really truly hard to go wrong with those ingredients, Brandon :)