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Cold nights long call for hearty, warming meals the way birthdays call for cake and snow days call for pajamas and steaming cups of hot cocoa. We’ve been having our share of snowy, cold weather here since late fall, and along with it plenty of bean, fish, chicken, and beef soups and stews. Mike and I really are soup people, and meals like this always seem to hit the spot…but the fact of the matter is, we’re easily in for at least another three months of cold (and more likely than not, snowy) weather, and if I’m going to last the winter without going stew crazy (that would be my very own version of stir crazy), I’m going to have to pace myself.
I was craving something bright and refreshing…something lemony. At the grocery store I actually bought a couple of lemons. Just lemons. Without having any particular recipe in mind and not really caring what I made with them. I got home and saw chicken breast in the fridge and the solution struck me: Chicken Piccata!
In my haste to eat this and capture a bit of (very premature) spring flavor, I didn’t make quite as much use of the lemon as I could have. Half the lemon is juiced and added to the sauce, but next time I make it I’ll thinly slice the other half into wheels and add them to the sauce along with the juice. Now doesn’t that sound pretty?
Chicken Piccata
(Yield: 2 servings)
2 tsp unsalted butter, room temperature
3 TB plus 2 tsp flour, divided
2 (4-6 oz) chicken breast cutlets
2 TB olive oil
1/4 c dry white wine (or chicken stock or water)
1/3 c chicken stock
2 TB minced fresh parsley
1 TB capers, rinsed and drained to remove excess salt
1 lemon (half juiced, to yield about 1 TB; half sliced into thin circles) — I forgot to add the lemon circles
Salt and pepper
4 oz spaghetti, or any shape of pasta you like (for serving)
Cook pasta to al dente according to package directions.
In a small bowl, use a fork or your fingers to combine 2 tsp butter with 2 tsp flour; set aside for now (this mixture is called a beurre manié). (The flour gives the sauce ever so slightly more body; if you prefer a thinner sauce for Chicken Piccata, just omit the flour and proceed with the rest of the recipe.)
Season chicken cutlets on both sides with salt and pepper; dredge in remaining 3 TB flour and shake off and discard excess. Add olive oil to a medium skillet over medium-high heat; once oil starts to ripple, add chicken and cook until fully cooked and golden on both sides (about 3 minutes per side), flipping once. You can turn heat down if chicken starts to burn or cook too quickly; chicken is fully cooked when there is no pink in the middle. Transfer chicken to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil.
With heat off, add wine (or chicken stock or water) to the skillet you cooked the chicken in; turn heat on to high and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits that have formed on the bottom. Cook a few minutes, until the wine is reduced by about 2/3 or more. Add chicken stock, turn heat down to medium, and whisk in beurre manié; cook until thickened slightly, about 2 minutes. Turn off heat; add parsley, capers, lemon juice, and sliced lemon circles. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.
Serve chicken cutlets with pasta, with the sauce drizzled on top of everything.
I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
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A classic favorite. Plus, I love anything with capers. Yum!
Great website! Just discovered it and think your photos are amazing. Looking at that photo makes me so hungry, I will have to try that recipe.
Your a favorite.
Best wishes!
All I am gonna say is bring it. This Chicken Piccata recipe looks more than exceptional. Creamy, decadent & fab. Beautiful clicks! xo
This is one of my brothers favorite dishes, and I just discovered his new girlfriend can’t cook…thank goodness he an :) I will send him this link as I am sure he will love it :) Looks wonderful!
PS “stew crazy”–love it!
I’ve never had this but I have a friend who shared her recipe b/c she loves it. Now I guess I have to!
Chicken Piccata brings back memories…it was served at my wedding. I am definitely going to make this! Yum! And Awww :)
Both chicken and veal piccata are a favorite at our house! Your chicken piccata looks so delicious, excellent!
I’ve always adored veal piccata, Faith, so this would be perfect for my family. That lemony fresh flavor is so tasty. I love the caper addition!
his is the most appetizing batch of chicken piccata i’ve ever seen! ah, capers–they’re a true friend. :)
I am right there with you…Ryan and I adore a big pot of stew or soup during these winter months…but we need some variety too! This chicken piccata looks so flavorful and comforting. I love your idea to use the lemon slices too! Thank you for sharing with me. Stay warm and safe during the rest of the week!
Oh yes, I get like this in the middle of a season, I suddenly want to try out flavours from the season to come…, this lemony dish must have hit the spot for sure.
Love the lemony flavor & taste in the chicken picatta! so fresh!
It’s definitely a good idea to have a mix of bright and hearty recipes to get you through the winter. Thankfully (and quite ironicallly if you ask me) citrus is in season! I love chicken piccata and this looks fantastic!
Yes, something bright and refreshing is what you need after weeks of hunkering down! I love anything with lemon and chicken piccata is a favorite! Hopefully, your delicious little taste of spring will get you through this week!
Beautiful chicken piccata. I have a friend who loves this dish. I’ll be saving it for our next dinner party.
Kristi
I am a soup person too Faith! But I am a comfort food lover too and this is up there with the best of them. Nothing beats that refreshing lemony flavor and paired with chicken and pasta is one of my favorite ways to eat it!
What a beautiful piccata! Your version looks absolutely delicious. Great use of lemons!
I love that dish!!! looks so creamy and delicious!Comforting!
I love chicken piccata. There is a restaurant in Boston that makes a version of it that I love. Yours looks just like it delicious. I am looking forward to trying it.
Fantastic! I just crave bright, lemony flavor sometimes and your chicken piccata looks perfect.
That looks so goooood. I think Mr P would love this dish.
*kisses* HH
This has been on my list for awhile. I love how you don’t use cream!
I’ve honestly never had chicken piccata, but it looks and sounds totally amazing! I can see how it might be a more summery flavor, but that would never stop me from eating it in cold weather…especially when I’m going stew crazy!
Beautiful pics, once again :)
I think I’m rather close to going soup crazy soon, so this sounds just perfect. I love lemon and can just imagine the zing it gives to the dish…I’m hungry!
Chicken piccata is a favorite of mine. Your dish looks beautiful. Agreed that the lemon component of the dish really sets it off.
Bravo
This is sooo good , i want to rush to the kitchen and make it right away!
I loveee lemony and lovee ur eagerness to spring , though i love all seasons except too muc heat :-)
Looks really yummy yum and fantastic!
Capers and parsley,sure add a zing and ting to it!
im going to get some capers this weekend this will be on my menu! looks just delicious:)
That looks so so appetizing! I want more capers. :-))
I bet these capers intensified the flavor of this chicken very much. It looks so yummy and having it accompanied with pasta is the perfect combination.
I love chicken piccatta. Not only is this dish comforting, it is a fresh dish to enjoy too. Very nice.
Velva
Oh my goodness, that looks delicious! Thanks for sharing :)
Beautiful photos! And such a refreshing meal. I say that as I sit by the fire with coffee, watching the latest snowstorm rage outside.
You know, I’m nearly positive that bloggers share a collective consciousness. When I made my list over the weekend, chicken piccata was written in for tomorrow night’s dinner! I love your recipe, Faith.
oh my gosh – that just looks so comforting and GOOD! and beautifully photographed, as always.
i also wanted to let you know i tagged you in my post this AM :)
Lemons or any citrus dish always brings on a placebo summer feeling in me too, plus all that vitamin C is great! This chicken looks really tasty and the capers (love em) put a lot of zing in the dish too I bet.
So nice to see (and taste!) and little hint of spring. This looks wonderful! Love how this evolved from buying a few lemons. ;-)
Yum! The boy really like chicken piccata, maybe we should have some tomorrow…thanks for the inspiration :D
Slurp, makes me hungry..
I love lemony food…refreshing and delicious. Love your chicken. I will lick all the sauce :D
You’ll laugh at this Faith but there are some dishes that American TV shows mention but we never really get here and chicken piccata is one of them (along with General Tsao’s chicken). So thanks for the recipe! I always wondered what it was like! :D
A beautiful dish! I bet it tastes so good!
Scrumptious!
Cheers,
Rosa
I’ve been searching for inspiration lately and this hits the spot! I’ve never made chicken piccata but I do think I ordered it in a restaurant once. Love the capers!
Faith,
this meal looks fantastic. creamy rich sauce.
This looks wonderful, Faith. I might make this soon as I already have all the ingredients. I’ll bet this would work well with salmon also. I only say that cause my daughter prefers fish over chicken. This is my kind of comfort food on a cold snowy day. The lemon wheels were a great idea.
Yummy! This looks so delicious! I’m on a lemon kick these days, so maybe I’ll try this one tomorrow night…
Love this chicken dish…maybe because of the lemony flavor of it…looks delicious :-)
Very pretty! One of my absolute favorites, yours looks really super! I think I need to make this very soon, I use a recipe very similar.
My word that looks scrumptious!
You always inspire me with yummy ideas.
This looks soooo yummy! I’m starting to feel hungry just looking at this! Love your photos, especially the second one :)
Totally agree with you, we still have many winter days left. Capers in my favorite addition to this meal, aside from lemon of course!
This is one of my favorite meals. Your version looks and sound delicious. I love lemon. I love capers. I love chicken. I’m in paradise. I hope you have a wonderful evening. Blessings…Mary
I always fear I’m going to get soup-ed out in the winter! This is a great break. And you’re right, the lemon totally gives that springy feeling.