Classic Italian Chicken Piccata Recipe
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.
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.
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.
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.
Nutrition
Calories: 246kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 16gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 380mgPotassium: 295mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 203IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 13mgIron: 1mg