Make Ahead

Classic ChickenĀ Piccata

May  5, 2021
4.5
39 Ratings
Photo by James Ransom
  • Prep time 15 minutes
  • Cook time 30 minutes
  • Serves 6
Author Notes

An easy dish to prepare, this chicken piccata still makes a presentation elegant enough for company. —Linda Johnson

Test Kitchen Notes

Featured in: Our 10 Most-Popular Chicken Recipes of All. Time.

The flavor of this recipe was absolutely delicious, with a tart pucker from all the lemon and capers that's balanced by a last-minute addition of butter and the fresh brightness of parsley. The shallots get melty as they cook down, making for a sauce that's perfect on its own with the angel hair and even better when you add the chicken. —The Editors

What You'll Need
Watch This Recipe
Classic ChickenĀ Piccata
Ingredients
  • 2 large lemons
  • 6 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, trimmed and pounded until 1/4 inch thick
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 pinch black pepper
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons capers, drained
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
  • 6 servings couscous or angel hair pasta
Directions
  1. Cut one lemon in half lengthwise. Trim the ends from one half and cut across into thin slices about 1/8 inch thick; set aside. Juice the remaining half and whole lemon to obtain about 1/4 cup juice; set aside.
  2. Season both sides of the chicken breasts generously with salt and pepper. Place flour into a shallow dish or pan. Coat each breast with flour, and shake to remove excess.
  3. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until hot, about 2 minutes. Cook half the batch in the skillet without moving them until lightly browned on the first side, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Turn and cook until the second side is lightly browned, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate kept warm in the oven, or cover with aluminum foil. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet and heat until shimmering. Add remaining chicken pieces and repeat. Add cooked chicken to previous batch and keep warm in 200 degree oven.
  4. Using the pan in which you cooked the chicken, sautƩ the shallots in the oil and browned bits remaining in the pan. Once shallots become translucent, add the chicken broth and lemon slices. Allow to cook until lemon slices are well-softened.
  5. Add the capers and lemon juice, and allow to reduce to concentrate flavors. Remove pan from heat and swirl in the butter until it melts and thickens the sauce. Swirl in the parsley. Spoon over chicken and serve immediately over a bed of couscous or angel hair pasta.
Contest Entries

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Tom Salamone
    Tom Salamone
  • Patti
    Patti
  • mywaterdr
    mywaterdr
  • FrugalCat
    FrugalCat
  • boymeetsgirlmeetsfood
    boymeetsgirlmeetsfood

102 Reviews

Lois B. April 22, 2023
To make things even quicker, I cook the chicken to nearly done(150 degrees), cut into bite sized pieces, and store in refrigerator until I make the sauce and boil the pasta. Then I merely add the chicken to the sauce just enough to reheatband serve!
 
CrystalFeder August 7, 2022
I did 1/2 cup white wine and 1/2 cup chicken broth (instead it of a full cup).
 
ks.grand June 3, 2022
I love this recipe! I omitted the capers (because I donā€™t really use them in my cooking, it didnā€™t make sense to buy a whole jar :p) and it was just as good! Although I am curious about how it might add to the dishā€¦ next time! I also might add garlic and a small bit of cornstarch to thicken the sauce the next time I prepare this. My sauce came out a little more thinner than I anticipated but perhaps that is what the recipe intended. Overall an amazing recipe Iā€™m adding into my rotation!
 
mywaterdr June 5, 2022
I also dont keep capers on hand either..who does? I replaced them with baby peas.
 
Monica G. January 2, 2023
LOL. I love capers. I eat them out of the jar! :)
 
rox L. February 3, 2023
The flour is the thickener, allow it to simmer a little longer and you won't need corn starch.
 
Robyn C. March 18, 2023
I do!šŸ˜€āœŒšŸ¼
 
Tom S. May 26, 2022
Agree. Have made several times. An interesting take on piccata is to use the sauce on roasted cauliflower, broccoli, chickpeas all olive oil tossed and roasted 25-30 min at 425 deg on a rimmed baking sheet, then torn kale tossed in olive oil added atop the others to roast for an additional 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool a bit and place them all in a large bowl, toss to combine, plate then spoon on the piccata sauce. Pretty spectacular - in my opinion. I believe this is a NYT recipe. Give it a try.
 
Granny S. May 26, 2022
Tom! I love your idea of using the sauce on roasted veggies! Genius idea! We love Chicken Piccata and put the sauce on fettucini (w/garlic oil, halved grape tomatoes and slices of roasted asparagus). When we serve the piccata, we put the sauce on both the chicken and the pasta dish on one plate and eat it together with a side salad.
 
Tom S. June 4, 2022
Hi Granny S: I am Grampy S and the picture is of my grandson. I do wish you and your family well and to enjoy lovely times together, perhaps over a dish of roasted vegetable piccata. Take care.
 
Granny S. June 5, 2022
Thank you Grampy S (Tom S.) !! I love the NYT's recipes. Melissa Clark's Beef Bouruignon' is outstanding! (I do not cook the mush. & onions separately, tho... just add them last hour or so. Hope you have a wonderful week! We are celebrating our 54th anniversary over dinner. PS Your grandson is darling. Our youngest grandson just graduated HS this past week. Cheers Grampy S. !!
 
Tom S. June 6, 2022
Granny S: You made me smile, we celebrated our 55th just two weeks ago. Our only grandchild was born in my 2nd year of Medicare so we had and continue to have plenty of time to be an integral part of his life and love it. Be well. Tom
 
shoepershopper May 26, 2022
My family loves my Chicken Francese recipe, but I wanted something slightly different for dinner last night and it fit the bill perfectly. Was it like I'd get in an Italian restaurant? Probably not since I didn't pound the chicken breasts thinner and instead just sliced them in half (time crunch). But was it good enough that my husband and teenage son got seconds? Yes. Was it easy, delicious and a perfect weeknight meal ready in a short amount of time? Absolutely. Next time I will plan ahead to pound the chicken breasts or even use veal cutlets. Will I make this again and share the recipe with friends? Already have.
 
Patti November 2, 2020
This was lovely. Based on comments I pulled the lemon slices after a minute or two and added zest and it was plenty lemony. Also added a splash of white wine. The angel hair pasta is perfect with this as well. Very elegant with little effort.
 
mywaterdr September 10, 2020
I also added (Marsala) wine to the recipe and swapped out the capers for Le Sueur peas. Used chicken thighs instead, much juicier and moister than breasts. Skipped the pasta too, it's fine just by itself!
 
frog September 10, 2020
If you don't use capers, it isn't Piccata. Adding canned peas and Marsala makes for a delicious dish, I am sure.
 
mywaterdr June 5, 2022
It's my way of making piccata, you probably do it differently. To each his own.
 
Granny S. July 25, 2020
This recipe is outstanding. However, I add 1/4 cup of dry white wine to the sauce. I also serve it with pasta mixed with garlic, evoo, sliced grape tomatoes (fresh) and steamed asparagus (cut in 1" slices). Top with the chicken and sauce and the capers shine in this recipe. So yummy. Thank you for sharing your recipe with us. I love Food 52 !
 
simonandrew89 March 5, 2020
Its lovely recipe of Classic Chicken Piccata thanks for sharing with us
 
FrugalCat January 8, 2020
Worked great with chicken thighs and shell pasta.
 
Collette April 9, 2019
I had a lot of fun with this simple meal. My kids love the salty, lemony meal. My son insisted on seconds! I have always made piccata with dark meat, so boneless, skinless chicken breast was my choice for this one too! Less cutting and pounding. I'm a huge fan of the meyer lemon and I insist on it for this recipe for sure! The kids love their pasta so a light orzo with butter on the side and a big side of green beans! So delish! For me this was a solid 30 minute meal because you have to let the reduction REDUCE happily. Thanks Food52!
 
Savannah February 27, 2019
We love this recipe so much it has become a weekly family meal. I sometimes use tenderloin instead of chicken breast just because itā€™s faster than having to cut down some of these huge chicken breasts we usually get. Both of my kids adore this at 1 and 3 years old so extra points just for that!
 
emilykrukowski November 6, 2018
Delicious recipe and super simple. I would definitely double the broth recipe for the next time.
 
NapaCook March 13, 2018
I disliked the bitterness that the lemon rind lent to this dish. I'd try it again but without the lemon slices.
 
TERRYE H. March 13, 2018
You might try a Meyer lemon. They are far less bitter.
 
Teri October 16, 2018
I always zest lemons before juicing or slicing. Using just the outer yellow eliminates bitterness but makes everything more lemony!
 
cherylslr February 9, 2020
I love lemon and capers and the bitterness ruined it for me, too. Aside from the bitterness I didnā€™t think there was much flavor. Disappointing as the dish looked beautiful.
 
Twila K. June 14, 2020
I would use a little garlic too in this recipe
 
boymeetsgirlmeetsfood December 12, 2017
Absolutely LOVE this sauce! We've served it with fish before as well with great success.
 
Korena V. May 22, 2017
This was delicious. I scaled it down for 2, using one large chicken breast sliced horizontally in half to give two servings (rather than pounding it) and I cooked the chicken over medium heat to avoid scorching the flour left behind in the pan. The sauce was amazing - tart, tangy, rich and amazingly buttery for such a small amount of butter (only 1 tbsp for the 2 servings I made). Definitely a keeper!
 
Bridget J. May 8, 2017
This is an excellent recipe. Adjust the lemon or caper to your desired taste. I use ground white pepper instead of black pepper and of course, a little more.
 
Erlinda P. April 16, 2017
Yummies food so i shared to fb for others to learn
 
Nancy January 27, 2017
So good and so easy! Would be great for company.
 
zoemetro U. June 22, 2016
We made this last night and it was so good that everyone was silent for the first five minutes! Then, the next five minutes they talked about "the sauce." Thank you Linda for this speedy and scrumptious crowd pleaser.
 
Jasmin R. June 19, 2016
Excellent recipe! Made this the other night for the first time when we were in a bit of a rush to go to something. Had a friend join us last minute, and the 3 of us really enjoyed it. Really easy for a mid-week meal, healthy, and so delicious.
 
Sandy February 11, 2016
Great recipe! Double the sauce recipe for this amount of chicken. It was simple and quick!
 
samanthaalison January 6, 2016
This would definitely not be enough sauce for 6 portions - we doubled it and it still didn't quite seem like enough. If you double it, you may want to wait until the sauce has reduced some to add the lemon slices - they made our sauce too bitter, and I think that's because we had to cook it down longer.
 
Annie November 7, 2015
This recipe was delicious, and it was very quick to prepare. I didn't use capers and it was still delicious. I'd recommend shaving some parmesan cheese on top too!
 
Kelly M. October 16, 2015
I loved this recipe! It was so easy and delicious. I added two tomatoes and some garlic, which I cooked in with the shallots before adding the chicken broth. So good! If you're cooking a whole box of pasta, you might want to double up on the sauce.
 
Mike I. August 18, 2018
So, you didnā€™t make the recipe. Got it
 
Carol F. October 11, 2015
I want the recipe for Classic chicken Piccata and tried to print it where it
said print this recipe and all I got was the picture and no recipe.
[email protected] is my email address. Please send it to me. Thanks.
 
Mel P. May 13, 2015
Made this 2 nights ago and it was delicious! I think my lemon was extra juicy so it came out a little tart but excellent overall.
 
Rebecca C. May 12, 2015
My husband and I have made this dish so many times and we love it. A new family favourite in the UK
 
Mary R. May 8, 2015
this+was+the+worst+nasty+tasting+Chicken+Piccata+I+have+ever+made.++The+Shallots+ruined+the+dish.++They+added+to+much+sweetness.+The+capers+and+lemon+add+a+pungent+taste,+as+piccata+should+be,+then+the+chicken+stock+and+shallots,+OMG.+We+didn't+even+finish+it,+it+went+down+the+disposal,++I+will+stick+to+my+good+old+standby.++A+big+waste+of+my+time+after+I+had+worked+8+hrs.
 
frog May 9, 2015
I see the problem, you +spent+too+much+time+on+it.
 
Starr O. March 18, 2015
Agree, Tom. Some comments seemed more personal than useful imputs of lessons learned. Thank you, Tom. And, thank you Linda Johnson for your recipe post.
 
Tom S. March 8, 2015
Ouch. Let's not start to sound like Congress. Civility should, no must rule.
 
Louis T. March 7, 2015
I am so sorry I don"t come up to your high standards.
 
Traveler March 7, 2015
@Lacey. It is site, not sight. If you are going to be critical of others, please be perfect yourself. And your syntax is awful. Have you never taken an English class?
 
Gregg March 8, 2015
Actually yes, however I speak, write & read 3 languages and bound to make a mistake or two! BTW, how many are you fluent in?
 
Mike I. August 18, 2018
You only lie in English
 
Louis T. March 7, 2015
I am very sorry we do not come up to your high standards give us some of your higher thoughts on cooking and maybe we will follow your blog instead
 
Lacey March 6, 2015
I don't intend to be critical or insensitive but are a lot of the commenters on this sight just a little dim? Have they never cooked or lived in a cave most of their lives?
 
Jackie H. February 22, 2015
the place where my husband is made chicken piccata with couscous and we both liked it so i told him that i would look up the recipe, get the ingredients and make it for him at home and bring it to him.
 
Lucy February 4, 2015
Made for dinner tonight...amazing. Husband couldn't get enough!
 
Ashley January 28, 2015
What can I use instead of butter for the sauce?
 
Angela January 23, 2015
This is definitely the recipe from America's Test Kitchen. I think you need to show credit where credit is do.
 
Gregg January 20, 2015
You do realize that Italians would never serve pasta along side meat of any kind! While the recipe is authentic, just looking at that wad of pasta on the plate next
to the chicken is typical American, as is spaghetti and meatballs! Try something different, pasta, then meat and finally a great salad at the end! Also great for
your digestive system!
 
Truly S. March 18, 2015
Wow.
 
Cynthia K. March 3, 2016
Grilled zucchini is fabulous instead of pasta
 
Sheryl W. January 19, 2015
Sounds yummy
 
Kathy January 19, 2015
If you choose not to pound the breasts, should you finish cooking the chicken in the oven? What temp and how long? Sounds wonderful--Thanks!
 
Linda J. January 19, 2015
Personally, I prefer thicker, juicier chunks of chicken, so I don't pound them; I still use the skillet and they cook up just fine. Use a slightly lower flame so that the thicker breasts have an opportunity to cook through without burning the exterior.
 
Della T. January 17, 2015
Love lemon. Love, love, love this.
 
Traveler January 11, 2015
Louis, they publish in the news part of Yahoo.com Go there and you will find them.
 
Louis T. January 11, 2015
for some reason i do not recieve food 52 much but every time i do i print out so many it is the best.
 
Traveler January 11, 2015
I have been making chicken piccata for years. I had it once in a restaurant and they added artichokes to the sauce. I have been doing that ever since. I use canned (drained) or frozen. Not the marinated ones.
 
Jen December 9, 2014
Yum! New family favorite of the "new" dishes I have made lately. Was a little nervous about the chicken being done since I didn't pound them out so I bumped up oven temp to 350 the last 10 minutes or so of warming. Chicken was perfect. We have a family of 3. COuld have easily done just 3 breasts instead of the 6 I think.
 
Anna W. August 25, 2014
I made this dish last Sat for dinner party. Everybody loved it. Thanks for such great recipe for boring chicken.
 
Dona July 17, 2014
I made this last night, loved it!
 
Margo July 14, 2014
I made this last night. Very good recipe. I really enjoyed this. 10/10
 
Louis T. June 30, 2014
I have shared this recipe with many of my friends and they are happy i did


 
Linda J. June 25, 2014
Cathy you're right; that's why this recipe calls for a heavy-bottomed pan but doesn't specify cast iron. I use a heavy All-Clad stainless steel pan - works like a charm every time and cleans up easily.
 
Vanessa B. December 7, 2014
Thank you to Linda Johnson, for clarifying, and to Cathy Gordon, for being more specific! As I read the recipe instructions, I was hoping that my All-Clad saute pan was heavy enough, and wondering if I needed something as heavy as iron. Since I no longer own an iron pan. It certainly is okay to cook acidic foods in an iron pan so long as you wait until your pan is well-seasoned, thereby avoiding the metallic taste of highly acidic foods.
 
Cathy G. June 25, 2014
I would suggest avoiding cast iron for making the sauce that amount of acid in the lemon will get muddled when cooked in cast iron.
 
sevenfaces June 11, 2014
I made this with unflattened chicken thighs; fried in the pan and finished in the oven. Juicy and delicious! The piccata sauce was great over fluffy cous cous, crumbled feta and steamed cauliflower. A new favourite for me!
 
Tom S. May 16, 2014
Linda: This is the first time I made chicken piccata. Made it as a late dinner as my wife is working on a project. Forgot the parsley and the lemon slices, had to sub onion for shallot and only had bow tie pasta, but it worked. It actually tasted very good. My wife got a kick out of my attempt and I ended up quite proud. So, thank you very much for presenting this recipe in a manner I could (1) follow and (2) produce good results. Be well, Tom
 
Linda J. May 3, 2014
Jampot, you don't have to pound the chicken flat; in fact I actually prefer keeping the chicken breasts thick, allowing their plumpness to retain their juiciness. So glad you enjoyed this recipe - it's really classic cuisine. I often serve it over couscous made with chicken broth but any favorite will work!
 
jampot May 3, 2014
Thanks Linda! I really appreciate your help! I guess "flat" may have been an overstatement? I guess I pounded to around 1/4" thick... it was a new experience for me haha. I was amazed at how juicy the chicken stayed, even after frying. I'm so happy with this yummy goodness :)
 
Linda J. May 3, 2014
You're so welcome! If you enjoy the pounding process, you should also try making Chicken Kiev. It's really simple but also elegant and delicious, and who doesn't enjoy buttery goodness oozing from the center when you cut into it?!
 
jampot May 1, 2014
I just finished licking my plate clean! This is a wonderful recipe and even my kids were goo-goo for it! I served it with angel hair pasta, yum! This is the first time I've actually pounded a chicken breast flat. Yeah, I know, I'm a newbie. But it was worth the time and effort! The chicken cooked perfectly for me at 2.5 min per side and the flour gave the perfect amount of "crust" for the chicken. Juicy and flavorful, I now have a wonderful recipe to add to my kitchen arsenal. Thanks so much!
 
EmilyC March 9, 2014
I made this last weekend and enjoyed it! It's a nice combination of flavors and comes together easily. I found myself wanting more sauce so I could spoon plenty over both my pasta and chicken (like in the picture) so I'd recommend doubling the sauce.
 
Linda J. May 3, 2014
I so agree with you about more sauce!
 
mks2643 March 9, 2014
I appreciate the photos that accompany the recipe. Seeing the photo made me use green onions instead of shallots. I do get confused with use of shallots, But green onions were perfect for this chicken.
 
Alex S. March 6, 2014
This is a poorly written recipe. "Cook half the batch" of what?
 
anne March 7, 2014
Chicken. What else? Geez.
 
mary March 3, 2014
why don't recipes print with the picture?????
 
OmniumGatherum March 3, 2014
When are the chicken stock and shallots added?
 
Linda J. May 3, 2014
It's interesting - they didn't post it exactly as I submitted it: right after frying and removing the chicken, you should sautƩ the shallots in the oil and browned bits remaining in the pan. Once shallots reach translucent, add the chicken stock with lemon slices. Allow to cook until lemon slices are well-softened. Then add the capers and lemon juice, allow to reduce to concentrate flavors.
 
Vanessa B. December 7, 2014
I believe that is what was posted in the recipe.
 
Vanessa B. December 7, 2014
Okay. I read it again. It doesn't "exactly" say "when" in the original posting.
 
Louis T. March 3, 2014
also the main part is the pan must be very hot so when you put the chicken in it seers fast
 
TERRYE H. March 2, 2014
Is the 6th diner a vegan?
 
frog March 2, 2014
This recipe is almost exactly the one by Jack Bishop in the January 2001 issue of Cooks' Illustrated. The only difference is that his calls for 4 breasts cut into 8 paillards to yield 4 servings, which makes more sense than 5 breasts to yield 6 servings.
 
davidd50 September 29, 2014
What is/are paillards?
 
frog September 29, 2014
A paillard is a slice of meat pounded thin.
 
frog September 29, 2014
I should add that the French spelling is paillarde, the name of a restauranteur. Without the e, it means lecher or libertine.
 
Louis T. March 2, 2014
try not to move the chicken until the time is up when chicken is cooked it will come loose from pan . Very good recipe I love it
 
Soo J. March 1, 2014
I feel like I'm not doing the flour, then pan fry thing right. I find the "batter" just peels off in chunks and makes the dish unappealing. Any tips? What is the flour supposed to do?
 
Karen March 1, 2014
Try coating it lightly in a bit of flour, then let it rest for a couple of minutes. The moisture will seep through the coating. Then, a second dusting will "dry it out." Alternately, I've had luck mixing a little cornstarch into the flour. That makes it crispier and absorbs moisture.
 
Jim March 2, 2014
Dry the pounded breasts with paper towels and then refrigerate for 10 - 15 minutes. The surface will be dry and somewhat tacky and will hold the flour.
 
Karen February 27, 2014
Do you remove the second two chicken breasts from the pan before making the sauce?