Chicken Piccata

Chicken Piccata
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
25 minutes
Rating
4(9,354)
Notes
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Chicken piccata is an Italian-American staple beloved for its piquant flavors cradled in a silky, butter-rich pan sauce. It also doesn’t hurt that it cooks up very quickly. This version is mostly traditional except that it uses lemon two ways, calling for lemon slices to be caramelized (to soften their tang) and for a hit of fresh juice at the end (to brighten the whole dish). This ensures a sauce that's neither too rich, nor too puckery. Serve with a starch — pasta, polenta, rice or white beans — for sopping up the sauce, and a green vegetable, such as a kale salad, broccoli or green beans.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 4boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1½ pounds), halved horizontally (see tip)
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • All-purpose flour, for dredging
  • 6tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
  • 1shallot, peeled and sliced lengthwise
  • 1lemon, halved (half thinly sliced and seeds removed; half juiced, about 2 tablespoons)
  • ¾cup chicken stock
  • 4teaspoons drained capers
  • Coarsely chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

492 calories; 33 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 14 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 41 grams protein; 678 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in flour and shake off any excess.

  2. Step 2

    In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons butter and the olive oil over medium-high heat until the butter has melted. Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, add the chicken and sauté until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.

  3. Step 3

    Remove the chicken, place on a plate and repeat with the remaining pieces, adding more olive oil if needed.

  4. Step 4

    Once the chicken is cooked, add the shallot and lemon slices to the pan and sauté, stirring occasionally, until lightly caramelized and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the stock and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.

  5. Step 5

    Reduce the heat to low, then stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, capers and lemon juice, to taste. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the chicken with the sauce poured over the top. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Tip
  • Freezing the chicken breasts for 15 minutes will make slicing them through the middle easier.

Ratings

4 out of 5
9,354 user ratings
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Cooking Notes

A friend told me years ago that she saved the plastic liners from stuff like cereal and used it to pound meat/chicken breasts etc. The material used for these liners is really tough and a good way to reuse something before tossing it out! I've used them for years now, always keeping a couple rolled up in the drawer with my zip locks. I've used rolling pins, wine bottles and even the side of my meat tenderizer mallet to pound with and these bags have never split, leaked or anything.

Not sure if someone suggested this yet: Blanch the lemon slices before sauteeing them to get rid of the bitterness. I learned this technique from Melissa Clark: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016815-pasta-with-fried-lemons-and-chile-flakes?action=click&module=Global%20Search%20Recipe%20Card&pgType=search&rank=2

Yes! It is wonderful as well and just as delicious. I live in Alaska and have the luxury of fresh and fresh frozen halibut, ling cod and rockfish, etc. readily accessible. This recipe is tasty with all varieties as lemon and capers are perfectly paired with fish. I like to add a bit of Dijon mustard to the sauce as well and if making with chicken, mushrooms. I incorporate a dry wine as well as chicken broth to the sauce. Eat more fish!

A delicious, easy, quick, recipe everyone should have as an option. We followed the recipe exactly except added a bit of white wine to tone down the lemon, and added crispy browned sliced garlic as a finish. We started out thinking we’d do NYT chicken francese but too many steps/time, involved a (workout-sabotaging) fried coating and too many controversies in the comments. Glad we landed here instead. Served with angel hair pasta and NYT Caesar salad, full tilt with 8 anchovies. Perfect.

I like the tip from others to use the zest instead of lemon slices - I’ve made it the latter way for years, but agree the use of zest is better and removes potential for bitterness. Strongly suggest, off heat at the end, whisking two tablespoons of chilled, diced butter into the sauce. Much enriches it and some would consider it original to the recipe

No, no, no to wax paper...it's a petroleum product. You don't want that in your food.

Incorporated more or less the most frequent suggestions: pounded 2 (big) chicken breast in a ziploc bag to make them an even thickness, used Meyer lemon, zested the lemon instead of the slices, used some white wine along with the broth (roughly 50/50 of the liquid used), added some garlic to the butter sauce at the end, and it was GREAT.I was also generous with the Meyer lemon juice, and put the chicken back into the sauce at the end for a min or two. Forgot parsley (guess it was unnecessary).

The first time I made this I thought it was good, but not particularly memorable. Last night I made it again and I used a whole sliced lemon and the juice of a whole lemon with an extra dash of chicken stock and an extra tablespoon of butter in the last step. That extra flavor blast made it delectable. I wanted to just drink the sauce!

Ah! This is one of my favorite recipes with just a few changes. I usually use 1/2 cup of white wine (any old white wine that has been laying around in the frig forever in my 'cooking wine' bottle) in place of chicken stock and I use a full 1/3 cup of juice from a lemon. It does work to use less butter and oil (this NYT recipe calls for 3T olive oil, mine calls for 5T) but you just end up with less sauce. I like to serve it with thin spaghetti. Its a "winner winner chicken dinner".

1) used 2 thighs which I pounded to be evenish, made the sauce with half the fat. Used lemon zest instead of slices which gave great flavor. 2) used boneless, thighs without skin -- seasoned, floured and sautéed then put in a 350 oven while I finished the sauce - lovely. 3) Added white wine to deglaze pan, lightly floured chicken, not dredged. Added sautéd diced garlic and shallot. No lemon peel...just juice. Thickened sauce with small amount of flour and served over angel hair pasta.

Replace half the broth with a white wine (any kind), for a touch of color throw a few red peppercorns in with the lemons. Use Myer lemons instead of the pithy traditional kind, cut them very thin. Works with flounder and veal as well - a good all purpose go to dish.

To flatten the chicken, try pounding it inside a waxed-paper bag from the interior of a cereal or cracker box instead of using single-use plastic. This is not just about Yankee thrift!

I like the tip from others to use the zest instead of lemon slices - I’ve made it the latter way for years, but agree the use of zest is better and removes potential for bitterness. Strongly suggest, off heat at the end, whisking two tablespoons of chilled, diced butter into the sauce. Much enriches it and some would consider it original to the recipe.

Make sure the cutlets are thin or else they take too long to cook.

Magnificent! I used rice flour to make it gluten free, and treated my chicken breasts to a beating before cooking. I placed parchment paper over and under, then pounded with a rolling pin until a uniform thickness—or thinness—was achieved. A bit of seasoning sprinkled into poultry before pounding (depending on the recipe) was an added benefit. Garlic was my choice.

Don’t use slices, too bitter. Use zest instead

Make sure to carmelize shallots Double/triple capers make a roux so you can make more and thicker of a souce

Delicious!! I followed the comments and added white wine and garlic. I also added herbs de Provence to my chicken and the flour as well as a seasoned kosher salt I had to embed more flavor. I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs because that’s what I had on hand and I prefer them over breasts because they’re more juicy and flavorful. Very easy to make!

Fabulous easy to make. Made with green beans and farro.

Chopped shallot finely. Added white wine 1/2 cup and 1/4 cup chicken broth. Chicken breasts need to be very thin

I've been making this, and tweeking it, for years, very good! My tweeks, are the sauce is to GOOD, so I make extra. Lemon juice, chicken stock and white wine. I also use a small bit for potato starch to the sauce before serving just to thicken a bit. I also use lemon zest and large capers.

Great running-late-ended-up-having-date-night-at-home recipe. Easy prep with pantry staples and delicious!

Not the best recipe for chicken piccata that I've ever tried, but it wasn't bad. I'd double the sauce if I make it again.

I added cherry tomatoes towards the end of step 4. Soooo good.

Delicious and not difficult to make.

Slight left-over friendly variation: cook pasta on the side and toss in the pan with the final sauce, so that the pasta becomes coated in all of the piccata goodness instead. Then slice the chicken up and add on top. Bonus-greens variation: chiffonade some greens (I've used both collards and chard) and add to the pan with the stock step. They'll soften and become imbued with the flavors as the sauce reduces. Combine both variations for the ultimate leftover goodness!

Thin chicken by pounding Serve w angel hair

Worked well. Did as directed but added a little chicken bouillon as the broth was cooking down.

This is a good recipe but my lemon was too pithy and bitter. Next time I think I’ll use a splash of white wine instead of juice and some preserved lemon instead of lemon slices. Some frozen artichoke hearts were a good addition.

Added garlic powder, thyme, and oregano to the seasoning for the chicken. Definitely tasted the difference for the better.

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