Chicken Piccata is a classic Italian-American dish that we all love along with my Chicken Marsala and Spaghetti and Meatballs. Although it’s not quite clear where it originated from there’s one thing we know for sure and that is that it’s insanely delicious! The chicken has a golden crust that soaks up the bright lemon, white wine, and buttery sauce. The capers add a nice zip and the fresh parsley adds so much flavor and color.
The other thing I love so much about this dish is how easy it is to make. It’s made in under 30 minutes from start to finish so can be whipped up on a busy weeknight yet it’s special enough to serve up at a dinner party!
What you’ll need to make this recipe
Chicken – You’ll need chicken breasts for this recipe, I prefer to buy free-range and organic chicken for the best flavor!
Flour – All-purpose flour is used to dredge the chicken. This gives the chicken a delicious crispy coating and helps thicken the sauce.
Lemon juice – Freshly squeezed lemon juice makes all the difference don’t be tempted to buy the bottled stuff!
White wine – Make sure to use a dry white wine, it adds so much flavor to the sauce and you can pour a glass for serving too!
How to make Chicken Piccata
1. Cut the chicken in half lengthwise then pound thin.
2. Dredge the chicken in flour.
3. Add butter to a skillet and fry the chicken until golden brown, remove and set aside.
4. Add the lemon juice, wine, stock, and seasoning and simmer then add the capers.
5. Once the sauce has reduced and thickened turn off the heat and add the butter.
6. Add the chicken back to the skillet to warm through and sprinkle over parsley.
Pro tips for making this recipe
- Make sure to deglaze the pan and scrape any brown bits on the skillet, that’s where a lot of flavor is!
- Dredging the chicken with flour is important for creating a delicious crust on the chicken and for thickening the sauce.
- When choosing a white wine go for a dry white wine that you would drink, don’t use cooking wine.
- Make sure to pound the chicken quite thin so they cook quickly.
- Use low sodium chicken stock and unsalted butter because there will already be enough salt in this dish after seasoning the chicken and adding the capers.
- You could swap the chicken for turkey or pork.
- If you want to make it creamy you could add a splash of heavy cream to the sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Piccata mean?
Piccata refers to the type of sauce the chicken is served in which is a rich, slightly thick buttery, white wine and lemon sauce with capers and parsley.
What should I serve this with?
I love to serve this chicken with pasta such as fettuccine or tagliatelle or creamy mashed potatoes and veggies such as green beans or Glazed Carrots. Here are some other great side dishes that would go great; Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Potatoes au Gratin, Broccoli Salad or Potato Salad.
What’s the difference between Chicken Piccata and Chicken Francese?
The main difference between these two dishes is that Chicken Francese uses an eggwash for dredging and Chicken Piccata uses only flour and adds capers to the sauce. This gives a totally different texture and taste to both dishes.
Can you make this in advance?
Yes, store the chicken piccata in the fridge (covered) then reheat in a microwave or on the stovetop until heated right through.
Can you freeze this?
Yes, it can be frozen in suitable containers then reheated once thawed completely overnight.
IF YOU LOVE THIS RECIPE TRY THESE OUT!
If you’ve tried this Chicken Piccata recipe then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Chicken Piccata
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 1 cup white wine
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter divided
- 1/4 cup capers drained
- salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup parsley
Instructions
- Cut chicken breasts in half lengthwise then pound the chicken to flatten out.
- Season chicken with salt and pepper then dredge in flour.
- Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and two tbsp butter to a large pan and warm on medium-high heat.
- Cook on each side for about 3 minutes or until golden brown.
- Add the stock, wine, lemon juice, salt and pepper to the pan then bring to a boil while stirring to deglaze ,reduce to a simmer and add the capers. Allow to reduce by half while stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tbsp butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Return the chicken to the pan and spoon sauce over the chicken cutlets. You can warm the chicken through on low if needed then sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Notes
- Make sure to deglaze the pan and scrape any brown bits on the skillet, that's where a lot of flavor is!
- Dredging the chicken with flour is important for creating a delicious crust on the chicken and for thickening the sauce.
- When choosing a white wine go for a dry white wine that you would drink, don't use cooking wine.
- Make sure to pound the chicken quite thin so they cook quickly.
- Use low sodium chicken stock and unsalted butter because there will already be enough salt in this dish after seasoning the chicken and adding the capers.
- You could swap the chicken for turkey or pork.
- If you want to make it creamy you could add a splash of heavy cream to the sauce.
