Chicken Piccata
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Chicken Piccata is one of those recipes everyone should know how to make. Seasoned chicken lightly dredged in flour that is sautéed a golden brown and gets covered with a delicious lemon, wine and caper sauce that is out of this world tasty. This is my chicken piccata recipe, made in under 30 minutes!
What is Chicken Piccata?
The Italian word Piccata typically refers to veal or chicken that is sliced, dredged in flour, then sautéed in a sauce containing lemon juice, butter, and capers. It so easy to make and I love it served on top of mashed potatoes. With lots of that lemony, caper filled sauce. So good!
Chicken Piccata is one of the first dishes I learned to make while working for a San Diego catering company and is always on the meal rotation list because it’s easy, quick and delivers on the flavor.
What makes this recipe different
For added flavor I omit the kosher salt and black pepper before dredging the chicken in flour and use my Lemon Pepper Seasoning Blend instead. Adds that extra flavor punch! Don’t want to make your own, use store bought!
How to make chicken piccata sauce
Step 1:
Melt butter in pan and add the flour. Whisk to cook flour for 1 minute. By adding the flour to the butter and or olive oil, this will make what is called a roux, which will thicken the pan sauce when liquids like chicken stock and/or wine is added and whisked together.
Step 2:
Next add the white wine, lemon juice and chicken stock. With a whisk, stir and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor and breaking up any lumps. Add the capers to the sauce and taste for seasoning.
FAQ
What is the difference between chicken piccata and chicken francese?
Besides Piccata being Italian and Francese being French, both are made with chicken breast, but Francese chicken is first dipped in flour, then into an egg mixture before being sautéed. Both are served with a lemony butter sauce, but the piccata sauce includes capers.
What kind of white wine do I use?
A nice Chardonnay works because it has hints of butter and citrus. Sauvignon Blanc is another which has bright citrus and herbal notes and pairs nicely with the lemon and parsley found in this dish. Pinot Grigio and Pinot Blanc are other considerations.
What are capers?
Typically you would see them scattered over smoked salmon with red onion slices and cream cheese on a bagel, but it’s probably better know as one of the flavor components in chicken piccata. It’s actually a brined, tiny flower bud. They give a tangy lemony, salty, almost olive like flavor to a dish.
This chicken piccata recipe is perfect for those quick mid-week dinners. I absolutely LOVE this sauce so be sure to have some crusty french bread to dunk in the sauce to get every drop. Enjoy!
For other tasty chicken dishes, try my Green Chile Chicken Pasta, Bacon Wrapped Chicken, Cheesy Prosciutto Stuffed Chicken with Pesto or this Smothered Chicken and Barley.
Chicken Piccata + Video
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts skinless boneless, (See Note 1)
- 1/2 tsp salt (See Note 2)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper (See Note 2)
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour for dredging
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Piccata Sauce
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour (See Note 3)
- 1/3 cup white wine
- 2 lemons (See Note 4)
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1/4 cup capers
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- Mashed potatoes or pasta (See Note 5)
Instructions
- Cut chicken breasts horizontally into 2 cutlets. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 2 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start foam and turn golden add chicken and saute for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, turn and cook other side for 2-3 minutes. Do not over crowd pan, work in two batches if needed. Remove and transfer to plate and keep warm, covered.
- Melt remaining butter in pan. When butter is melted add the flour (See Note 3) and whisk to cook flour for 1 minute. Then add the white wine, lemon juice and chicken stock. With a whisk, stir and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor and breaking up any lumps. Add more chicken stock to desired consistency if you prefer. Add the capers to the sauce and taste for seasoning.
- Add the chicken back to the pan, spooning sauce to coat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Option: Make mashed potatoes or pasta. Divide mashed potatoes or pasta on plates and top with the chicken. Spoon sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley and lemon slices.
Video
Notes
- If large, cut chicken breasts horizontally into 2 cutlets. If uneven in thickness, pound between sheets of plastic wrap.
- For an added flavor boost, I omit the salt and pepper and use 1 teaspoon of my Lemon Pepper Seasoning blend.
- By adding the flour to the butter and olive oil this will make what is called a roux, which will thicken the pan sauce when liquids like chicken stock and/or wine is added and whisked together.
- I used 1 large lemon and the fresh juice came to 1/4 cup as needed for sauce. I sliced the other lemon for garnish.
- Either make the mashed potatoes from scratch or make per your favorite boxed brand or pasta of choice.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Absolutely delicious! My eldest daughter and I made this together and she loved it!
Thank you! How fun for you two to do together! I hope you find more to cook together!
Thanks! This was just the recipe I was looking for
I am so glad you enjoyed it!
I forgot to buy white wine so I subbed in some dry sherry instead. It kinda gave the sauce more of a chicken Marsala flavor. Next time I think I’m going to cut the amount of flour in half for the roux, ’cause even with extra chicken stock added my sauce was thicker than I was aiming for.
Great thinking! I am glad you enjoyed it!
Loved this recipe!! I added some garlic, some lemon pepper and extra broth. But it was a thumbs up from the whole family!!
Thank you! I love it too!
This was amazing!! Thank you!
Thank you for stopping by!
Chicken Piccata is one of our favorites, Kevin! I know that your recipe will not disappoint – can’t wait to try it!
We love it! I hope you enjoy it!
Kevin, I love capers, and made what I thought was a new dish by making a roux, adding white wine and capers after I had cooked chicken in the pan. No lemon as I didn’t think of it! Next time I shall make Chicken Piccata as you do, thank you! I really enjoy reading, and making some of your recipes, your partner is a lucky man, it is surprising he is not fat!!
Thank you so much for stopping by with the kinds words! I cant wait to see what recipes you cook up in 2020!