Chicken Piccata Recipe

This is an easy and delicious chicken piccata recipe made with pan-seared chicken tossed in a simple piccata sauce consisting of white wine, chicken broth, capers, fresh lemon juice, butter, and garlic. It’s a tangy, buttery, garlicky, dish best served over penne or thin spaghetti or with veggies for a healthier twist. Better yet, this recipe is weeknight-friendly and can be on the table in under 30 minutes.

Chicken piccata is best served over thin spaghetti or penne pasta drizzled with a little olive oil and some extra piccata sauce. The pasta soaks up the extra butter, garlic, and lemon and makes for the perfect companion for this recipe. If you don’t want to serve it with pasta, opt for my roasted lemon and parmesan broccoli.

Tips for Making Chicken Piccata

Piccata sauce is easy to make if you follow the correct steps. It’s as simple as searing thinly sliced chicken breast in a skillet or pan, transferring it to a plate, and simmering your sauce in the same pan until slightly thickened and almost creamy. The whole process from start to finish only takes about 10-15 minutes.

• Always use thinly sliced chicken breast. This is the most important item on this list. Opt for pre-prepared thinly sliced chicken breast or butterfly a standard breast, rendering two equal 1/2 inch thick slices. This helps the chicken cook quickly and keeps it tender and juicy. Always use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temp of the chicken is 165°F.
• Dredging the chicken in flour beforehand is a must. The flour helps create a thin crust and a little extra texture. It also helps the chicken better soak up the piccata sauce.
• Picatta sauce should be slightly thick. The simmered/reduced chicken broth, melted butter, and residual flour in the pan helps to thicken the sauce to be slightly creamy and hazy. Without the added butter, you won’t achieve the same viscosity. If the sauce is still runny, add a little more butter or a pinch of flour and continue to simmer until thickened.
• I use white wine and chicken broth as the sauce base. Most recipes call for water but wine adds more flavor and has beautiful citrusy notes. Look for dry white wines such as sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio. If you don’t have chicken broth, just use the wine, it will still work out!
• Add extra water to the pan if the sauce gets too thick. If the piccata sauce starts to dry out and gets too thick, a few tablespoons of water will help thin it out.
• Use a skillet or nonstick pan for best results. A larger pan works best if cooking for larger crowds, or you can cook the chicken in batches since it should cook rather quickly if properly prepared.

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• Baked chicken caprese
• Chicken and cilantro lime rice
• Roasted chicken with butternut squash
• Salmon piccata

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