Chicken Piccata
Servings: people
Chicken Piccata is a quick and flavorful dish made with tender pan-seared chicken and a bright, buttery lemon-caper sauce. A little Italian, a little Italian-American, and a whole lot of comfort.
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts boneless, skinless (about 1.5lb/680g total)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour for dredging
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 shallot chopped
- ½ cup dry white wine like Pinot Grigio, Verdicchio, or other
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon capers drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon Italian parsley fresh, chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt & black pepper or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch optional for a creamier sauce - dissolved in 3 tablespoon cold water
Instructions
- Prep the Chicken – Slice 2 large chicken breasts horizontally into 2 cutlets. Cover with plastic wrap and lightly pound with a meat mallet to even out the thickness if needed (about ½ inch or 1.2 cm). Season both sides with salt and pepper, then dredge lightly in ½ cup all-purpose flour. Shake off the excess.
- Sear the Chicken – Heat 3 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the chicken, about 3–4 minutes per side, until golden brown and just cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely.
- Make the Sauce – In the same skillet, add a bit more oil and sauté 1 shallot for 30 seconds. Pour in ½ cup dry white wine and simmer for 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits.Add 1 cup chicken broth, ¼ cup lemon juice, and 2 tablespoon capers, then let it bubble for about 3 minutes to reduce slightly. Lower the heat and whisk in 2 tablespoon unsalted butter to make the sauce silky.For a thicker sauce, stir in a slurry of 1 teaspoon cornstarch whisked with 3 tablespoon cold water, and simmer 1 minute more.
- Serve – Add the chicken back into the pan and spoon the sauce over the top. Let it simmer gently for a minute so everything comes together. Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon zest if you like, and serve right away.Enjoy it on pasta (cacio e pepe recommended), garlic mashed potatoes, or sautéed greens.
Notes
SUBSTITUTIONS
- Chicken breasts → can use chicken thighs or veal cutlets (for a more traditional scaloppine style)
- All-purpose flour → try cornstarch or gluten-free flour for dredging
- Olive oil → vegetable oil or avocado oil work well too
- Unsalted butter → substitute with non-dairy butter or just more olive oil
- Shallot → substitute garlic
- Dry white wine → swap with chicken broth or a splash of white wine vinegar + water
- Chicken broth → vegetable broth works fine
- Fresh lemon juice → bottled lemon juice if necessary, but fresh is always best
- Capers → green olives (chopped) or omit entirely
- Fresh parsley → substitute a sprig of rosemary for parsley but add it earlier to the sauce
- Lemon zest → for a pop of citrus without the extra acidity
- Pound the chicken to ½ inch for quick, even cooking and extra tenderness.
- Dredge lightly in flour for a golden crust and to help thicken the sauce.
- Let the wine reduce to mellow the alcohol and boost flavor.
- Don’t overcook—once golden and cooked through, it’ll finish in the sauce.
- Use a cornstarch slurry (1 teaspoon cornstarch + 3 tablespoon water) for a creamier sauce—we always do!
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a pan over low heat, adding a splash of broth or water to loosen the sauce.
- Freezer: You can freeze the cooked chicken and sauce together for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat slowly on the stove. The sauce may separate slightly but will come back together with a little stirring.
