I stole this recipe for Chicken Piccata from the website Foodnetwork.com who stole it from Giada De Laurentis. This Italian method of cooking chicken is actually very easy. Chicken is seasoned and then dredged in flour. The chicken is cooked on each side in a mixture of olive oil and butter. A sauce is made with the pan drippings, lemon juice, chicken stock and capers. After the sauce is boiled, the chicken is added back in. The chicken is plated and sauce is poured on top and garnished with parsley.
Did you know? Piccata is an Italian dish where seasoned and floured chicken is quickly sautéed and served with a sauce made from the pan drippings, lemon juice and chopped parsley.¹ (see more trivia in the Trivia tab)
Dredge 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into desired sizes with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.
In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tbsp butter with 3 tbsp olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add a few pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes.
When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes.
Remove and transfer to plate. Melt 2 tbsp butter and another 2 tbsp olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add remaining pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to plate.
Into the pan add ⅓ cup lemon juice, ½ cup chicken stock and ¼ cup brined capers that have been rinsed. Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor.
Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Add in ⅓ cup fresh chopped parsley.
Remove the chicken to a platter. Add remaining 2 tbsp butter to the sauce in the pan and whisk vigorously. Pour the sauce over the chicken.
Sometimes I make this as a pasta dish. I double the sauce amount and serve over penne noodles.
Chicken Piccata
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless , butterflied and then cut in half
- Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
- All purpose flour for dredging
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup chicken stock
- ¼ cup brined capers rinsed
- ⅓ cup fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
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Dredge chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.
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In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tbsp butter with 3 tbsp olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate.
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Melt 2 tbsp butter and another 2 tbsp olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to plate.
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Into the pan add the lemon juice, stock and capers. Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Check for seasoning. Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter. Add remaining 2 tbsp butter to sauce and whisk vigorously. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.
Recipe Notes
I add more seasoning than salt and pepper to the flour; I use a few dashes of Creole seasoning or Italian seasoning. Sometimes I make this as a pasta dish. I cut the chicken bite size before beginning and double the sauce amount and serve over penne noodles.