Description
Chicken Piccata is a classic Italian-American dish featuring tender chicken cutlets sautéed to golden perfection, then simmered in a tangy lemon, caper, and white wine sauce. This recipe is quick, flavorful, and perfect for a weeknight dinner served over pasta, mashed potatoes, or vegetables.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (sliced horizontally into cutlets)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (for dredging)
Cooking Fat
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (or chicken broth)
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- 1/4 cup capers, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Lemon slices for garnish
Instructions
- Season and Dredge Chicken: Season the chicken cutlets with salt and black pepper to taste. Lightly dredge each piece in all-purpose flour, shaking off any excess flour to avoid clumping.
- Sauté Chicken: In a large skillet, heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter over medium-high heat. Add the chicken cutlets and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side until they are golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
- Sauté Garlic: Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Once melted, sauté the minced garlic for about 1 minute or until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
- Deglaze Pan and Make Sauce: Pour in the dry white wine (or chicken broth if using), scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon. Stir in chicken broth, fresh lemon juice, and capers. Let this sauce simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until it slightly reduces and thickens.
- Return Chicken and Finish Cooking: Place the cooked chicken cutlets back into the skillet and spoon the sauce over them. Simmer together for an additional 2 to 3 minutes to heat through and marry the flavors.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the chicken and garnish with lemon slices before serving. This dish pairs wonderfully with angel hair pasta, mashed potatoes, or sautéed vegetables.
Notes
- Serve over angel hair pasta, mashed potatoes, or with sautéed vegetables for a complete meal.
- Substitute chicken broth for white wine if you prefer to avoid alcohol.
- For an extra creamy texture and richness, finish the sauce with a splash of heavy cream.
- To make the dish gluten-free, use gluten-free flour for dredging the chicken cutlets.
- Ensure the chicken is pounded to an even thickness to promote even cooking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken cutlet with sauce
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
