Chicken Piccata is one of those classic dishes everyone should know how to prepare. Made with thin pieces of boneless chicken bathed in a richly-flavored pan sauce of garlic, shallots, white wine, lemon and a handful of capers, it's elegant enough to serve for company and quick enough for a weeknight dinner.
For a well-rounded meal, serve it with a side of garlic mashed potatoes and a simple green vegetable like sautéed spinach or roasted green beans.
PrintChicken Piccata
A classic dish made with thin slices of boneless chicken topped with a flavorful pan sauce made with white wine, garlic, shallots, lemon, capers and parsley.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 to 1-1/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (see notes)
- 1/3 cup flour
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium shallot, very finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, very finely chopped
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (or low-sodium chicken broth)
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and gently pound them to an even thickness of 1/4-inch. Then, depending on the size of the breasts, cut each one crosswise into 2 or 3 smaller pieces.
- Spread the flour on a sheet of wax paper, season liberally with salt and pepper and combine well. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture and shake off the excess.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, add the chicken in a single layer and cook until light golden in color and cooked through, 1-1/2 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a serving platter and set aside.
- If needed, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Add the shallot and cook until soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic, cook for 1 minute additional, then deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup of the wine, scraping up any browned bits that may have accumulated on the bottom.
- Stir in the remaining wine along with the lemon juice and cook, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan, turn the pieces once or twice to coat them lightly with sauce, then quickly transfer them back to the serving platter.
- Add the capers to the remaining sauce and cook until slightly thickened, about 1 minute additional. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and garnish with fresh parsley and lemon wedges. Serve immediately.
Notes
Recipe Notes:
You can also use chicken tenderloins for this recipe. Simply remove any white tendons from the tenderloins, place them between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound very gently to flatten. Proceed with the balance of the recipe as written.
Yu Ming Lui says
Chicken breast is healthy but I do get tired of cooking it because the flavor can be bland, so when I read this recipe, my “mojo” for preparing a chicken meal has been revived – it sounds mouth-watering! Thanks for sharing 🙂