This Chopped Chicken Piccata is what real deal chicken piccata sauce looks like. No floating, bitter lemon slices in the sauce that you don’t eat and toss to the side of your plate. Who needs that mess. This pan sauce is made with plenty of fresh lemon juice, the pan get deglazed with chicken stock, white wine and is loaded with capers. The sauce is over the top delicious, is thickened with a quick, in the pan method that’s guaranteed to make everyone think you spent a long time on this.
Instead of this being served over pasta, I decided this Chopped Chicken Piccata needed a change of pace and mashed potatoes were the perfect, comfort food replacement. Sound good? This is a quick meal that delivers BIG on flavor.
I was testing out three fruit recipes last Friday and time got away from me. Ever happen to you? It was 11 am and the next thing I know (and many a photo later) it was 4:30 pm and I still had errands to run and some calls to make.
We got a new washer and dryer at a Home Depot 4th of July sale and already the dryer doesn’t work. Sad face. 40 minutes on hold and discussing the issue with 2 different people at Samsung I decided I needed to get outside and get a breather. It was one of those days.
So when I got home the last thing I needed was to take up a lot of time fixing dinner and decided on making a house favorite that takes no time, but looks like you did.
No pounding chicken out thin between plastic sheets, this is fuss free and a filling twist on a fantastic chicken classic dish.
I served this with a side salad to round out the meal. Can’t just be meat and potatoes, right?
This house favorite uses chopped chicken that gets browned, drenched in a easy, lemony caper pan sauce and tops mashed potatoes for a perfect comfort dinner. Whether you make the mashed potatoes from scratch or not, this works when pasta is not something you’re in the mood for.
I quickly quartered some potatoes, boiled then mashed them, and was ready to eat and kick back.
Actually I made this Chopped Chicken Piccata with Mashed Potatoes 2 days in a row because I was so hungry I forgot to take photos the first evening. If you like this try my Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta, Chicken Tortellini Dijon Alfredo, or these German Fried Potatoes with Chicken. Enjoy!
This Chopped Chicken Piccata recipe first appeared on Kevin Is Cooking on July 2016 and has been updated with new photos and video.
No pounding out thin chicken. This Chopped Chicken Picatta is made with lemon juice, chicken stock, white wine and capers, served over mashed potatoes.
- 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (See Note 1)
- kosher salt
- fresh cracked black pepper
- 2 tbsp flour for dredging (See Note 4)
- 6 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/3 cup white wine
- 2 lemons, juiced (See Note 2)
- 1/2 cup low sodium chicken stock
- 1/4 cup brined capers
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 cup mashed potatoes (See Note 3)
- slices lemon, garnish
- Cut chicken breasts into 4 long strips. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 4 tablespoons of butter with 2 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start foam and turn golden add chicken and sauce for 3 minutes. When chicken strips are browned, turn and cook other side for 3 minutes. Do not over crowd pan, work in two batches if needed. Remove and transfer to paper towel lined plate.
- Melt 2 more tablespoons butter. When butter is melted (See Note 4) 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.
- Chop the chicken into bite size pieces or leave as strips. Add the chicken to the pan, toss to coat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Make mashed potatoes. Divide mashed potatoes over the 2 plates and make a well in center of each. Divide the chicken into each mashed potatoes well and pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley and lemon slice.
- I used 10 chicken tender (strips), or use 2 breasts, chopped.
- I used 2 large lemons and the fresh juice came to 1/3 cup.
- Either make the smashed potatoes from scratch or make per your favorite boxed brand to serve two.
- At this point if you prefer a thicker pan sauce: Add 1 tablespoon of flour and stir to cook flour for 1 minute. Then add other sauce ingredients. 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.
There is so much profanity I want to use for how lush this dish looks. AND here is the crazy thing…I was driving today and thought…hmmmm I don’t have my picatta on the site…LIKE WOAH! And then I am scrolling through my blog feed and there is this gorgeousness! Love that you chop it up…more gorgeous bits to get color on 🙂 And isn’t it so frustrating when our appliances fail on us 🙁 Glad that you got things figured out!
One spoon makes it all the perfect bite! Scoop away and enjoy mashed potatoes, a piece of chopped chicken and that lemony caper pan sauce. No for and knife necessary. 🙂 Oh, our new dryer arrived 2 days ago. Laundry is done.
I think I could eat that straight out of the pan, mopping up the sauce with loads of crusty bread. Looks delicious! I understand your pain with the dryer. We just bought a new dishwasher and it decided to pack it in just after using it once!
The new dryer arrived and it works. Happy man, as we ran out of clean clothes.
I agree, I would and could just have the bread and this pan sauce John. But mashed potatoes + sauce + chicken = Tasty grub.
These look like the BEST MASHED POTATOES EVER! So genius!
Thanks Anne! So glad to have connected. Just went to your site. Lovely stuff! Can I have a croissant?
I choose mashed potatoes over rice every day of the week…especially when they’re as obviously creamy as yours are! This dish needs to be in my rotation of meals… There’s nothing like good old fashioned comfort food!
That’s a tough one as I love both. I’m a carb freak and throw pasta in the mix and I would hate to choose between them all. BUT, for this one, just grab some crusty bread and dig in! Thanks Annie. 🙂
This is everything I need right now. Don’t freak out, but being the good Brazilian that I am, I would also serve it with white rice. I know Americans are always surprise we eat potatoes AND rice. Yes, we love ALL the carbs! lol
Anyways, I gotta try this ASAP. I will be forever drooling until I do!
Thanks Olivia. I am a rice lover too, but don’t think I could do both at one sitting. Although, to be honest I did at a Brazilian restaurant where the meat kept coming. So good! The lemon caper pan sauce could be a meal alone with some crusty bread! 🙂
Boy do I know what you mean about time getting away – I always underestimate how long things will take me. And what a pain that the dryer went out already – I guess better now than a day after the warranty expires!
I’m loving this bite-sized picatta – I just had lunch, but it has my mouth watering anyway!!
The new dryer arrived and it works! So excited… Oh and the neighbor’s Meyer lemon tree is waving a loaded branch over the fence, might have to make this again. 🙂
What could be better than chicken in rich buttery sauce served with mashed potatoes? Perfectly comfort dish! And what did you say about forgetting to take the pictures? Common, Kevin – don’t make excuses. Just tell us the truth that the meal was so good that you decided to repeat it the next day:)
Thanks Ben, I must admit I make it often, it’s that good. A house standard meal that’s always in the rotation menu. Can’t help myself! Hope you had a great time seeing Andrey.
Really beautiful photos, Kevin. I especially love the one in the cast iron. The dish sounds absolutely delicious, too!
Thank you Jeff. Bite sized goodness on mash? YES! 😉
I feel like time is forever getting away from me Kevin! I don’t know if it’s the blonde hair, but I can’t keep a schedule to save my life. 😉 HUGE bummer to your washer and dryer situation!! I’d be P.O’ed! I hope the service department took care of you and everything is situated… I mean the dang things are brand new! Annnyways, I am a chicken picatta freak of nature – like I LIVE for the stuff! And I am drooling hard core over yours! Love that it’s chopped up and that pan sauce looks scruuuuumptious! Plus served over some mashed ‘taters?! Gahhhh! Gimme gimme gimme!!! I want to lick my screen! Pinned! Cheers, buddy!
Ha! I was just outside helping the delivery of my new dryer into the garage. Hopefully this one works and Dave will set up the gas later when he get home. 🙂
As for these mashed spuds and that sauce all over, it was a perfect foil to the lemony, caper chicken. I just love having dinner all bite size, no messing with a knife, just dig in! Thanks Chey – #ChickenPicattaBites
Funny how time gets away from you sometimes. There are days when I feel like I can get so much done and the day goes on forever and then there are days like you had and I wonder where the heck the time went. And, don’t even talk to me about how fast time flies in general. Like, it’s seriously almost August?!
You know what I thought, when I saw your first pic of this deliciousness? Those ‘tatos look like little puffs of creamy dreamy clouds. I bet this is just awesome with all that sauce and a big spoonful of that mash and all that sweet n tart lemon flavour. Ok, ok, I have to stop…I’m freakin’ making myself hungry over here, lol 😀 Great one, Kevin! Cheers, my friend 🙂
Thanks Dawn. Aren’t mashed spuds just the best? I’m not sure why they are so comforting, but when a nice sauce or gravy smothers them I’m in heaven. 🙂
Hey Kevin! I don’t make chicken picatta enough. I really, really like it and your version sounds so quick and easy! I will probably use thigh meat simply because that’s what we prefer. And it couldn’t get better than serving this on mashed potatoes! A side of sweet corn and I’m a happy camper!
Thanks Dorothy. Just sitting here reviewing mail and your name popped up. Hope the weekend was a good one. While some parts of the world are currently experiencing Winter, here in San Diego it is over the top hot. Had a great time with the dogs at the beach yesterday. Plus, I don’t think 16 minutes of cooking is that hard for a dish like this. 😉
Hey Kevin! We had a great weekend! Celebrated out friend’s 78th birthday…I made her a triple layer chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, Nagi’s salmon dip, bacon wrapped pineapple with brown sugar and mini capreses. We munched, had a few drinks and a really good time! It has been in the mid 90’s here with air so thick you could cut it with a knife! That goodness for air conditioning! Even the dogs don’t stay out long! But, it beats shoveling snow in sub zero temps!
Holy smokes, wish I was invited to that birthday celebration feast! Funny, when I think of the South and summertime, heavy air does come to mind. And sticky humidity. Hang in there!
It’s breakfast time (not even yet) here and I want this right now. I love the idea of serving the picatta over mashed potatoes and yay! no pounding out the chicken. Kevin, this is another winner! On another note, I’m sorry to hear about your new dryer not working. We have brand new Samsung washer and dryer that are just a couple of months old, also from Home Depot! We probably have the same units… I LOVE mine and hope your dryer is up and running and you’re in love with laundry now too. I never was before, but the little sing-song welcome I get when I turn on the units make it a pleasure to start a load! 😉 Anyway, enjoy your week and if it wasn’t going to be 100 degrees every day this week, I’d be making this tonight but my stove is not coming on all week. Next week? This baby is happening!
Thanks so much Sally. With really only 15 minutes to cook I had to, it’s so good, plus I had the air on. Gotta love my solar panels!
The new dryer get delivered this Tuesday. Fingers crossed 😉