Easy Chicken Piccata Recipe

My Easy Chicken Piccata Recipe made with a few simple ingredients can be on your dinner table in less than 30 minutes!

My restaurant-style chicken piccata crafted with chicken breasts, mushrooms, and artichoke hearts has a bright, lemony butter sauce that will make this the Best Chicken Piccata Recipe you’ve ever made.

Years of cooking this Italian-American classic has allowed me to refine my chicken piccata into a perfectly balanced dish with just the right amount of tanginess (the secret is the artichoke hearts).

*In search you might find this piccata recipe referred to as lemon chicken piccata or even lemon caper chicken.

What is chicken Piccata?

Chicken Piccata (aka Chicken Picante) is one of the recipes you’ll often find on Italian restaurant menus. But the truth is this dish is so easy to make, that you should never order it when you go out to dinner. You’ll want to save your menu choices for other delicious recipes once you learn to make this chicken dish!

Using simple ingredients, with minimal prep, it’s the perfect choice for a quick weeknight dinner. But It’s also special enough to serve guests at your next dinner party.

What ingredients do I need to make Chicken Piccata?

Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Chicken Piccata. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.

Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the up cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

*Some recipes for this chicken dish include capers. I find them to distract from the distinct flavor of my piccata, but feel free to add them to the recipe if you enjoy the flavor of capers.

If you find yourself with leftover chicken breast you can use them up in my excellent chicken cordon bleu recipe or my butter chicken recipe.

How do I make Chicken Piccata?

Dredge the prepared chicken breasts in flour seasoned with sea salt and black pepper. (use a meat mallet to pound the chicken breasts thin, this acts as a meat tenderizer and reduce the cooking time)

Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat. Carefully add olive oil to the hot pan and place the floured chicken breasts into the pan. Allow the chicken to cook for a minute or so then turn the pieces of chicken over.

After turning the chicken breast over, add the sliced mushroom and shallots and continue to cook for 2-3 more minutes. Add more olive oil if needed.

Do I have to use mushrooms to make Chicken Piccata?

No, you do not. Traditionally, chicken piccata is made with capers and a lemon butter wine sauce and that’s it. I enjoy the light earthy flavor the mushrooms add and as I mention above the secret to balancing the tart lemon flavor, is the artichoke hearts.

When the mushrooms have cooked add a splash of white wine to deglaze the pan.

Deglazing the pan releases all the browned bits that are clinging to the surface of the pan and adds flavor to the sauce.

After deglazing the pan add three-quarters of the chicken broth (reserving the remainder if needed), lemon juice, sliced artichoke hearts and a little of the juice from the artichokes to the pan.

Reduce the heat to medium and season to taste with sea salt and black pepper.

The method of thickening the sauce is quite simple and also adds richness to the dish. Place a knob of butter into the seasoned flour, pressing flour into the butter, completely coating the surface of the butter.

Add the butter to the pan, mixing it into the pan sauce.

*The combination of butter and flour is called a beurre manié and will help thicken the sauce.

If the sauce looks too thick add the reserved chicken stock or water.

*Do not heat the chicken picatta on high or for too long once the sauce has thickened. High heat will cause it to separate.

With just a few basic ingredients and minutes of your time, you can create this culinary classic in your home tonight. Wouldn’t your friends and family love to sit down to this restaurant-quality chicken piccata?

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Chicken Piccata

Chef Dennis Littley

Cooking like a chef at home is easier than you think. My Easy Chicken Piccata Recipe made with a few simple ingredients can be on your dinner table in less than 30 minutes!

5 from 63 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Entree

Cuisine American

Servings 2

Calories 671 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 12 ounces boneless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons olive oil for saute
• ½ cup flour seasoned with salt and pepper to dredge chicken
• 8 ounces mushrooms sliced
• 2 teaspoon finely chopped shallot
• 4 small artichoke hearts sliced canned variety water not oil, Optional
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 tablespoons white wine
• 1 lemon for juice and zest
• sea salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon Italian parsley chopped

Instructions

 

• heat a saute pan then add 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• dredge the chicken in the seasoned flour and place in the saute pan, allow to cook for a minute or so then turn to the other side.
• After turning the chicken breast over, add the sliced mushroom and shallots. Add more olive oil if necessary.
• When the mushrooms look mostly cooked deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine or stock
• Add in ¾’s of the chicken stock reserving the remainder in case you need it.
• Add the artichokes and a little of the artichoke juice and the juice from one half lemon
• reduce heat to medium and season to taste with sea salt and black pepper
• place the butter into the seasoned flour pressing flour into it completely coating the butter, then add it to the pan, mixing it into the broth. This will help thicken the sauce.
• If the sauce looks to thick add the rest of the stock or water. Do not heat the dish on high or for too long once the sauce has thickened. High heat will cause it to separate.
• Serve with your favorite side and garnish with the lemon zest and parsley.

Nutrition

Calories: 671kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 45gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 127mgSodium: 337mgPotassium: 968mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 315IUVitamin C: 31mgCalcium: 33mgIron: 3.9mg

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