Description
Zesty chicken piccata offers a tangy Mediterranean-inspired dish with lemon, capers, and butter sauce. Culinary enthusiasts appreciate its simple elegance and quick preparation that brings restaurant-quality flavors directly to home kitchens.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 chicken breasts (large)
- Salt (to taste)
- Pepper (to taste)
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- Flour (for dredging)
- 4 tbsps (56 g) butter, divided
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
- ¼ cup (60 mL) chicken broth
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp (15 g) brined capers, drained
- ½ cup (120 mL) heavy/whipping cream
- Chopped parsley
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preparation: Butterfly chicken breasts horizontally, creating 4 uniform cutlets, and trim excess fat for even cooking.
- Seasoning: Generously coat cutlets with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, ensuring comprehensive flavor distribution.
- Flouring: Delicately dredge seasoned cutlets in flour, gently shaking off surplus coating for a light, crisp exterior.
- Searing: Warm a skillet over medium-high heat, blending butter and olive oil until the mixture becomes aromatic and shimmering, then carefully place floured chicken to develop a golden-brown crust, cooking 4-5 minutes per side.
- Sauce Creation: Remove chicken and deglaze the skillet with chicken broth, introducing lemon juice, zest, remaining butter, and capers, scraping the pan to incorporate all flavorful remnants.
- Sauce Refinement: Stir in heavy cream and return to moderate heat, allowing the sauce to simmer and thicken, then reintroduce chicken to the pan, letting it absorb the rich, tangy sauce until perfectly cooked.
- Finishing Touch: Garnish with fresh parsley and optional parmesan cheese, serving immediately while the dish remains gloriously hot and vibrant.
Notes
- Butterfly with Precision: Split chicken breasts carefully to ensure uniform thickness, promoting even cooking and preventing dry edges.
- Seasoning Strategy: Use generous, even salt, pepper, and garlic powder coverage to enhance overall flavor profile before flouring.
- Flour Finesse: Shake off excess flour to prevent heavy coating, ensuring a light, crispy exterior that doesn’t become soggy during cooking.
- Sauce Secrets: Deglaze pan thoroughly to capture all browned bits, creating a rich, complex sauce that transforms the entire dish from simple to spectacular.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3
- Calories: 482
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 22 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg