Chicken Piccata

Lemon Chicken Piccata is one of our favorite weeknight dinners. With basic ingredients and just one pan, you can whip up this classic American-Italian dish in 30 minutes!

What is Chicken Piccata?

The term "Piccata" refers to a type of Italian dish where pieces of meat are pounded thin, coated in flour, and sautéed. The meat is then finished in a tangy lemon butter sauce with capers and parsley. Veal (piccata di vitello) is more common in Italy, whereas chicken is more popular in the United States.

Ingredients Needed

• CHICKEN - Boneless, skinless chicken breasts. If possible, buy thinly sliced cutlets

• LEMON - You'll use the fresh juice and the zest

• OLIVE OIL & BUTTER - For sauteeing the chicken and adding richness

• CHICKEN BROTH - Helps build a silky sauce and balance the tangy lemon flavor

• DRY WHITE WINE - any dry varietal such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chablis, or Chardonnay

• ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR - For dredging the chicken breasts

• CAPERS - A key ingredient in piccata! Capers add zingy flavor and contrasting color to the sauce

• GARLIC - fresh minced is best

• SALT & PEPPER - To taste

• FRESH PARSLEY - For garnish, and it's the perfect finishing touch of color

How to make easy Chicken Piccata

Prep the Chicken:

• If you have thinly sliced cutlets, you are good to go. But if you have full-size chicken breasts, cut them in half horizontally, and then lightly pound them thinner so that all the chicken pieces are about the same thickness (about ¼" thick). (I usually cut my pieces in half again to make smaller portions, but that is optional)
• Generously salt and pepper the chicken
• Zest the lemon, then squeeze the juice from it. Set aside the juice for later.
• Combine 2 Tablespoons of flour, half of the lemon zest, and additional salt and pepper on a large plate

• Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour and shake off any excess flour

• In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon each of oil over medium heat until shimmering. Then add half of the chicken pieces and lightly brown each side (3-4 minutes). Don't overcrowd the pieces otherwise, they will steam instead of nicely browning. You want a light brown, not a dark brown color.
• Remove the chicken and place the pieces on a large plate
• Repeat with the second batch of chicken and place them with the other cooked chicken. Set aside while you make the sauce.

Prepare the lemon piccata sauce:

• In the same pan, melt 2 tablespoon of butter until foamy
• Add minced garlic and stir continually until fragrant - about 30-45 seconds
• Add the white wine, whisking until it's about half evaporated, and scraping up the bits on the bottom of the pan. Don't skip the scraping because there's a lot of flavor in those bits!
• Whisk in the chicken stock and lemon juice, and mix until smooth
• Stir in the capers
• Simmer for about 5 minutes on low heat
• Turn off the heat
• Cut the remaining 3 tablespoon of very cold butter into small pieces and whisk them in piece by piece, letting the butter melt each time before adding the next piece. Whisk until smooth.

Finishing the dish:

• Add the remaining lemon zest and chicken pieces, along with any accumulated juices, back into the sauce
• Spoon some of the sauce over the chicken
• Heat on low to gently rewarm everything for about 3-4 minutes
• Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with lots of sauce drizzled over the top!
• Optional: add sliced lemon to the pan for an added pop of color

Leftovers and Storage:

This dish makes incredible leftovers! Let cool completely, place in a sealed container, and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Gently reheat before serving.

Chef's Tips:

• Be sure to add very cold small bits of butter to the sauce at the end and whisk each piece in until it is melted before adding more. This technique is called "monter au beurre" or "mounting with butter," and it gives the sauce a glossy, velvety, rich finish and a stable emulsion. It's worth the extra minute or two it takes!
• We recommend pounding the chicken to ¼-inch thick for even cooking
• Like more tang? Add more lemon juice or zest, or add some liquid from the caper brine
• Taste the sauce before adding the chicken back to the pan and adjust the salt and pepper, if needed.

Wine Pairings from Sommelier Jayne

When you use wine in a recipe, the same wine should be your go-to wine choice to drink with it. Here are some ideal pairings for Chicken Piccata

• Sauvignon Blanc - With its citrus overtones of grapefruit and lime, Sauvignon Blanc pairs well with the lemony flavors of Chicken Piccata
• Chardonnay - An unoaked Chardonnay with notes of apple and minerality is always a great pairing and perfectly complements this dish
• Rosé - A dry French Rosé, with herbaceous tones, will complement the rich elements
• Pinot Noir - While you won't use red wine in this recipe, it still pairs nicely with Chicken Piccata. A light-bodied Pinot with earthy undertones provides a nice balance with the rich sauce of the Piccata.

What to serve with Lemon Chicken Piccata

This chicken piccata dish is so versatile that it pairs well with nearly every side dish. For simplicity, you can serve it over angel hair pasta with the sauce or with a chunk of crusty bread for dipping in the incredible sauce.

Here are some of our other favorite side dish suggestions to make this a complete dinner:

• Oven Roasted Potatoes or creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Roasted Asparagus, Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts, or Braised Leeks with Parmesan
• Citrus Salad with fresh citrus vinaigrette and mint

Did you try this Lemon Chicken Piccata? We would love to hear from you in our comments below. Please feel free to comment and rate this or any other recipe on our blog. Your feedback helps us to develop more recipes for you to enjoy!