CHICKEN PICCATA WITH LEMON CAPER SAUCE

Today is the day friends, it marks 32 years of my life and food journey! #HappyBirthdayMe. Okay, so my hubby Jason has been a trooper this month, eating all of my healthy recipe creations so I can start the next new year off feeling good. I’m still working on that post-baby bod and I’m determined to hit my goals.

Now friends, if you didn’t know, Jason is 1000% an Italian food fanatic with meatballs on the top of his list. So I found it interesting that he recently requested some homemade chicken with pasta, could my healthy habits be wearing off!? To keep my guy happy, I knew just what to do. I made a big family sized batch of tender and tangy chicken piccata. Yum. It’s a simple and classic dish that I’m sure everyone will enjoy and make each bite disappear. Ready to mangia?

I’ve had many unsuccessful attempts where the chicken became too dry because I was waiting for the thicker side too cook all the way, it was a hot mess. My mother-in-law Joan, who is an excellent home cook taught me many years ago a trick to flattening out chicken. She used the bottom of a wine bottle and worked great, no fancy equipment necessary! This allows you to cook the chicken evenly with a nice golden brown sear. Thanks Joan!

I wanted to use a really light flour breading on the outside of this chicken so that the dish wouldn’t get too heavy, yet still had a nice texture. A quick dusting with salt and pepper, flour and a quick dip in hot olive oil, and the cutlets were ready for some lemon caper sauce!

What I love about this sauce is that you probably already have most everything you need in your kitchen, fresh lemons, chicken broth, butter, thyme and parsley. Maybe the capers will be on the grocery list, but its the key to the characteristic flavor of this dish, so don’t skip it! The chicken gets to simmer in the sauce for a few minutes, soaking up all of that delicious tangy buttery goodness.

If you bring this piping hot plate of chicken piccata out to the dinner table, I’m pretty sure that your guests will be drooling and just itching to dig in!

Capers are what makes this dish unique and interesting, but what in the world are they? I’ll admit I was puzzled the first time I saw them, but then shortly after that first bite I realized the flavor punch packed in just one tiny sphere was amazing.Capers are simply pickled flower buds from a shrub-like bush called Capparis spinosa. They are sun-dried and brined or salted, and when added to dishes provides an intense pungent, salty and tangy flavor. It’s an acquired taste, but when you unlock it’s potential, watch out!

Are you hungry yet? I sure am just looking at these photos! The chicken gets a generous topping of lemon caper sauce, which pools on the bottom and gets soaked back up. Delish! You can go super traditional and make a big bowl of light angel hair pasta for the side, or make some crunchy almond green beans with creamy mashed potatoes for a heartier feast. Enjoy!

TIP: How do I prevent my chicken from getting too dry when I pan fry?The key to evenly cooked chicken especially when pan frying, is to pound out the pieces or cut them in half so that they are all the same thickness for each piece. About a half inch is a good thickness, you don’t want to go paper thin. For flattening out the chicken, you can use a meat pounder, or get thrifty and anything that has a flat heavy side works like a rolling pin or wine bottle. If you have an instant read digital thermometer, you can easily check the doneness of the chicken. You want to stop cooking when the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.

PRINT

CHICKEN PICCATA

Author: Jessica Gavin

Cuisine: Italian

Prep time:  5 mins

Cook time:  25 mins

Total time:  30 mins

Serves: 4 servings

 

Chicken piccata with lemon caper sauce is a fast and easy meal, perfect for a family feast! Lightly breaded pan fried chicken is simmered in a tangy sauce.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 chicken breasts, butterflied and cut in half (4 pieces total)
• Kosher salt, as needed
• Freshly ground black pepper, as needed
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
• Grated zest of 1 lemon, save a small amount for garnish
• ½ cup chicken broth
• ¼ cup brined capers, rinsed
• 2 springs thyme
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ⅓ cup fresh parsley, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Season both sides of the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.
2. In a large skillet over medium high heat, add 3 tablespoons of oil. When oil is hot and sizzles when a small amount of flour is added to it, carefully add 2 pieces of chicken to the pan. Cook for 3 minutes on each side until lightly browned. Remove and transfer to a plate. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan, allow it to heat up and add the last 2 pieces of chicken. Cook 3 minutes on each side and then transfer to the plate.
3. Add the lemon juice, zest, broth, capers and fresh thyme to the pan. Bring to a boil and scrape down the brown bits from the pan and whisk until dissolved into the liquid. Return all of the chicken to the pan and simmer over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to a platter. Remove and discard the thyme. Over low heat, vigorously whisk in 2 tablespoons of butter into the sauce. Check the seasoning, and add salt and pepper as desired. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.

Share on Google Plus

About chef imado

Hello! My Name Is Imad Qaidi, Cooking Holds a certificate of the Moroccan state and I have all the qualifications of the traditional and the modern cuisine of various well-known in the world of cooking states, Best Regards Admin.