Classic Italian Chicken Piccata Recipe
- Published
- 255 comments
This classic Italian Chicken Piccata recipe is pan-roasted and finished with a delicious white wine and caper butter sauce. You will love how easy this recipe comes together in about 30 minutes and how elegant it is to serve to family or friends.
In my house, we love all kinds of chicken recipes. It is such a versatile protein that is budget friendly and still makes the most amazing dishes. Win win! I have to recommend trying my chicken Cacciatore recipe or perfectly cooked chicken boneless breasts, both super easy and incredibly delicious.
Chicken Piccata
Chicken piccata is made with lightly floured, pan-seared chicken breasts and a simple pan sauce with capers and lemon juice. The classic Italian version is traditionally prepared with thinly sliced, pounded veal scallopini, but chicken has become the more common choice today.
Piccata is really just a technique where you pan-fry thin slices of meat and finish them off with a buttery sauce. The sauce is the star of the dish, and the best part is that it works just as well with pork or fish if you want to change things up.
When I make chicken piccata, I keep it classic with boneless skinless chicken breasts, capers, lemon, herbs, and butter. The whole thing comes together in about 30 minutes, which is perfect for busy days, and my family always clears their plates when I serve it.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken – Boneless skinless chicken breasts are most common, but boneless skinless chicken thighs may also be used.
- Flour – All-purpose or bread flour may be used to light coat the chicken.
- Onion – Both shallots and garlic cloves are used. Substitute the shallot for a red, white, yellow, or sweet onion.
- Wine – Any dry white wine like chardonnay, Pinto Grigio, or Sauvignon Blanc works well.
- Capers – Any size capers will work for this dish. A possible substitute could be pitless, small-diced green olives.
- Lemon – Freshly squeezed lemon juice is the hero of the sauce.
- Butter – I always use unsalted butter when I cook or bake to control the sodium content.
- Herbs – The chicken piccata is finished with a classic garnish of minced fresh parsley. To elevate the dish, you could also add a teaspoon or two of minced fresh thyme.
- Seasonings – Only coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper were used.
How to Make Chicken Piccata
Prep the chicken: First thing I do is slice the chicken breasts in half width-wise and gently pound them between two pieces of plastic wrap until they are about ½ inch thick.
Coat: I dredge the chicken breasts in flour seasoned with salt and pepper, making sure they are well coated, then gently pat off any excess flour.
Sear: I pan-sear the chicken breasts in olive oil for 4 to 5 minutes on each side until golden brown, then set them aside.
Sauté the aromatics: I add the shallots and garlic to the pan and sauté them quickly for 1 to 2 minutes.
Deglaze the pan: I pour in the white wine to deglaze, then add the capers.
Add the lemon: I squeeze in the lemon juice and cook until the liquid is nearly gone, or “au sec.”
Finish the sauce: I take the pan off the heat and stir in the butter, moving the pan in a circular motion to create a smooth beurre blanc sauce.
Serve: I stir parsley, lemon juice, salt, and pepper into the sauce, then pour it over the chicken breasts and serve right away.
chef tip + notes
I highly recommend for making my Chicken Piccata to coat the chicken in seasoned flour before it goes into the pan. I have been doing it this way for years, and it always makes a difference. The flour helps the chicken brown up beautifully and gives it a light crust that soaks in just enough of the sauce. Without it, the chicken tastes flat and the sauce slips right off, but with it, every forkful is tender, golden, and full of flavor.
- Fixing the sauce: If my sauce breaks, I add a little cold heavy cream to bring it back together.
- Gluten-free option: I skip the flour on the chicken when I want to keep the recipe gluten-free for guests.
- Mixing the butter: I use either a spoon or a whisk to stir the butter into the sauce at the end.
- Pounding chicken: I pound out the chicken in a plastic zip bag, two at a time, when I want to make it easier.
Serving Suggestions
I like serving chicken piccata with a bowl of creamy risotto or tossing it with some homemade pasta so the sauce clings to every strand. When I want something a little more comforting, I go for garlic mashed potatoes and add some roasted root vegetables on the side.
Another favorite is spooning it over creamy polenta with a fresh Italian tomato salad to balance it out. And if my family is around the table, I always bring out some focaccia bread so no one misses a drop of that sauce.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can precook the chicken, but you will not be able to make the sauce ahead of time as it will break.
How to Store: Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Cover and keep frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw for 1 day in the refrigerator before reheating.
How To Reheat: You can place the chicken in the sauce back into a pan and heat over low heat until hot.
More Chicken Recipes
- Chicken Saltimbocca
- Nashville Hot Chicken Recipe
- Chicken Parmigiana
- Chicken Curry
- The Best Fried Chicken
Video
Classic Italian Chicken Piccata Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 peeled small diced shallot
- 2 finely minced cloves of garlic
- ¼ cup white wine
- ¼ cup capers
- juice of 1 lemon, about 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons
- 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pads
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- coarse salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Slice the chicken breasts in half widthwise.
- Place them in between 2 large pieces of plastic wrap or in a large plastic zip bag and gently pound them with a mallet until they are about a ½” thick. Set aside.
- Add the flour to a bowl, season very well with salt and pepper, and mix.
- Coat the chicken breasts on both sides in the flour and pat off any excess flour. Set on a plate.
- Add the olive oil to a large frying pan over high heat. Once the oil begins to smoke very lightly, add in the chicken breasts and immediately turn the heat down to medium.
- Cook for 4-5 minutes or until browned and halfway cooked through and flip over.
- Turn the heat down to low and cook for a further 4-5 minutes or until cooked throughout.
- Remove the chicken breasts and set them aside.
- Add the shallots and garlic to the pan where the chicken was cooked and saute for 1 to 2 minutes or until very lightly browned over low to medium heat.
- Add in the wine, capers, and juice of ½ lemon and cook until the liquid is almost gone or about 1-2 tablespoons are left.
- Remove from the heat and add in the butter and swirl the pan in a circular motion until completely melted.
- Finish with parsley, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, salt, and pepper and pour over the cooked chicken breasts and serve.
Love, love, love the blast of flavors from such an easy entree. Prep takes the longest, do not even think of starting until every ingredient is ready to go. So quick to put together – easy enough for a weeknight favorite, fancy enough for your special guests.
Great
A great classic recipe and you make it easy for us. I will make this again and again.
thanks for giving it a shot!!
If this is ever on the menu at a restaurant, I have to order it. And now I can make it at home thanks to this recipe. Amazing – easy and delicious! Thanks!
My pleasure!
Made this the other day for my family! It was perfection.
thanks for giving it a shot!!
I made this Chicken Piccata tonight and it was absolutely delicious. I love how easy your recipes come together. No fuss, no muss just yummy goodness. I served it over mashed potatoes. This will definitely be in the rotation.
fantastic.
All I have to say is I would give this dish a 100 stars!!
Chef Billy thank you for getting me back in my kitchen. And cooking. Again I love I love how you are teaching me. The importance of unsalted butter in most recipes as we can adjust it for ourselves and in this dish the chicken piccata definitely need unsalted butter Ask the capers and the lemon add enough
thanks for giving it a shot!!
Outstanding! I follow Chef Billy on Facebook and his approach is so very much relateable. This is one of my favorites and is executed to perfection by Chef Parisi.
excellent
First time making chicken piccata. The recipe was so easy and delicious. I was always a chicken thigh person but this now has me picking up more chicken breast pieces. This recipe is so fast and easy. I served this with brown wild rice. Thanks again for another great recipe.
Love it!
This is my favorite piccata recipe ever.. I get tons of compliments every time.
Amazing!
This is my go-to recipe for special family dinners. I make it exactly as Chef Parisi describes and it’s perfect every time. His easy-to-follow instructions don’t just teach viewers how to make a meal, but he goes further to provide the ‘why’ behind important techniques.
Excellent!