Piccata is a main course or secundo meat dish featuring a zesty lemon butter sauce. In Italian American cuisine, it is usually made with chicken breast that is pounded thin, dredged in flour, then pan-fried. The chicken is normally replaced by veal cutlets in the classic Italian version of the dish.
The piccata sauce
The zesty, savoury and aromatic flavours of the piccata sauce make it the ideal accompaniment to the tender pan-fried chicken. And, in this recipe, the sauce features some delicious chopped, marinated artichokes. It also includes ingredients common to most Italian kitchens like lemons, garlic, olive oil, white wine, capers and parmesan cheese.
Preparing the chicken cutlets
Choose some fresh, skinless, boneless chicken breast halves. Each breast half makes one serving per person. Start by removing the small filet section from the breasts then slice the breast halves horizontally to “butterfly” them open. If they are large breasts, you may opt to cut them into two pieces for easier handling. In the case of thicker breasts, pound them to about ¼ inch thickness using a mallet between two pieces of parchment or plastic wrap.
The next step is to season and dredge the chicken cutlet pieces in the flour mixture. First, sprinkle salt and pepper over the chicken first. Next, mix the parmesan cheese and flour in a bowl large enough to dredge the chicken pieces in. Fully coat the chicken with the flour mixture and shake off any excess. Set the chicken aside. Once the olive oil reaches medium temperature, pan-fry the chicken for about three minutes per side. Place the cooked chicken in a dish with a lid to keep it warm then prepare the sauce.
You’ll make the sauce in the same pan as the chicken. Melt the butter then add the garlic and heat it just until its aromatic. The bits left over from cooking the chicken will get incorporated into the sauce. Finish by returning the chicken to the pan to coat with the sauce and reheat it.
Chicken Piccata with Artichoke
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breast halves, skinless, boneless
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup flour, for dredging
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter, divided
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ½ cup white wine or chicken stock
- ½ cup marinated artichokes, chopped
- ¼ cup capers
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Remove the small filet section from the breasts then slice the breast halves horizontally to “butterfly” them open. Pound the pieces to about ¼ inch thickness with a mallet between two pieces of parchment or plastic wrap.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- In a large high rimmed plate, combine the flour, and cheese.
- Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, shaking off excess flour.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet at medium heat.
- Cook the chicken in the pan for about 3 minutes per side, (this may be done in batches) remove from the pan and place in a covered dish.
- Melt 1 tbsp of butter in the pan then add the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
- Add the wine (or stock), lemon juice, capers and artichoke to the pan, stir and reduce by half. Once reduced, stir in the remaining butter (1 tbsp) to finish the sauce.
- Return the chicken pieces to the pan to reheat them and coat them with the sauce for about a minute. Transfer the chicken to dinner plates and top with the remaining sauce and parsley.
Notes
Nutrition
Per serving Calories: 751kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Iron: 2mgOriginally published 1/10/2019. Revised and republished 4/13/2024
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