These quick and easy pan-fried chicken breasts are topped with a simple pan sauce made with capers, butter, white wine, and lemon juice.
I used Wondra to dredge the chicken instead of a-p flour (it's finer and less clumpy), then followed all the ingredients but changed the proportions because I used a lot more chicken than this (when I cook I cook big). It's forgiving-but careful about too many capers and and barely salt the chicken because the capers make everything super salty. I added extra olive oil and butter to the saucepan and added ground garlic and a few flakes of red pepper to simmer awhile. Didn't have fresh parsley so I used dried. I served this over penne since I didn't have linquine or spaghetti. While the pasta drained, I added about 1/3 cup of olive oil to the pasta pot, a half a stick of butter, more garlic granules and about a cup of chicken broth--heated to boiling and tossed the cooked pasta back into it. Put in serving dish, then placed the chicken and all the sauce from the pan over the pasta and topped the pasta and chicken with some grated parmesan cheese. I have never made a piccata I liked as much as this one and my husband and I inhaled it. YUM.
Read MoreI'm not sure if I did something wrong, But we all Did not like it. We will eat out tonight....
Read MoreI used Wondra to dredge the chicken instead of a-p flour (it's finer and less clumpy), then followed all the ingredients but changed the proportions because I used a lot more chicken than this (when I cook I cook big). It's forgiving-but careful about too many capers and and barely salt the chicken because the capers make everything super salty. I added extra olive oil and butter to the saucepan and added ground garlic and a few flakes of red pepper to simmer awhile. Didn't have fresh parsley so I used dried. I served this over penne since I didn't have linquine or spaghetti. While the pasta drained, I added about 1/3 cup of olive oil to the pasta pot, a half a stick of butter, more garlic granules and about a cup of chicken broth--heated to boiling and tossed the cooked pasta back into it. Put in serving dish, then placed the chicken and all the sauce from the pan over the pasta and topped the pasta and chicken with some grated parmesan cheese. I have never made a piccata I liked as much as this one and my husband and I inhaled it. YUM.
Easy & super yummy! I added a little bit of Panko breadcrumbs to the flour to give it some crunch, and because I'm counting calories & fat, used less EVOO to brown the chicken in the pan and finished it off by baking in the oven after spraying the chicken with some olive oil Pam. (I wanted to have some flavor from the chicken in the pan before de-glazing & making the sauce!) Also used Smart Balance Spread instead of butter. My wine was a light and fruity Pinot. This was outstanding on whole wheat angel hair pasta and despite taking some healthy shortcuts, tasted like I was cheating on my healthy eating plan! Thanks for sharing! :-)
Simple and tasty! I followed the recipe as is and used a sauvignon blanc/chardonnay that I had on hand and it was delicious. If you are not as fond of lemon then cut back a bit on the lemon juice but I love it so I used the exact measurements. This will be one of my go to recipes in the future. It is great with any pasta.
To the person who asked about putting the sauce over angel hair pasta... Yes, I make double the sauce and put it on angel hair. But first I saute some garlic in olive oil and put in the pasta and toss with some Parmesan. It's great.
I found this recipe on the front page today when I was completely at a loss for what to make for supper. I had chicken defrosting at home, so I started the video showing the preparation. It looked so easy, so I decided to give it a go. Wow, we were surprised. From such a simple base, add a rich-seeming sauce and this chicken was delightful. A simple, tart flavour went very well with our rice and steamed vegetables. My wife is counting calories, so she was initially concerned, but we dodged that bullet by drizzling the sauce over the chicken, rather than finishing it in the thickened sauce. Very pleased with how easy and tasty this recipe was.
Once again, Chef, a winner recipe here. The proportions are just perfect for us! Yum! We used this with one packet of Costco's boneless skinless breasts, and because it's just the two of us, we'll have enough left for a delicious sandwich tomorrow. Thank you ever so much! Love this stuff! No changes!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was good. The one thing that I didn't like was how tart the sauce was. When I make this again, and I will, I might leave out the lemon juice or at least decrease it. A change that I did make was to season the flour instead of the chicken. The kids enjoyed this dish and soaked up the extra sauce from their plate with good, crusty french bread.
Fabulous! Just like the Veal Piccata recipe I got from a 5-star restaurant out east when I traveled for business. Chef John, I love all your recipes - easy AND delicious! For those who say too sharp or lemony, you just missed the whole point of a piccata. If you don't like the lemon, don't make a piccata and complain. By definition, it is supposed to be sharp and lemony (piccata=point of a spear). Most small children would not care for this recipe as it is supposed to be prepared. Generally it is for mature and educated palates, I would say.
First time making this, it was awesome! Chicken was tender and sauce was perfect. This was incredibly easy to make and quick. Will definitely be a keeper! :-)
Husband loved this he told me that this was a must make again recpie. (I just looked over and caught him licking his plate!) I however could only taste the wine, ( i am not a big fan on wine) But it was good.Since my husband liked it so much i will make this again.(Like if i want to go shopping!) Thank you Chef John
Delicious dish. The chicken was delicious even before I put on the sauce after frying it in olive oil :)
John, John, John..... you did it again!!! Everything you make always and I mean always comes out delicious. Your meals are simple and fantastic. My two sons can't wait for me to cook up something good especially from foodwishes.com. Thanks again to a very delicious meal.
I made this last night for me and my three kids and they liked it a lot. I am just making the transition from being a newbie cook to intermediate level and found this to be really easy and straightforward. It helped that I got all the ingredients prepped first since I usually forget to add something. In fact I had one of my son's help get me organized. I made this with a side of rice that I started just prior to starting cooking the chicken and it worked out great!
I LOVED this recipe! I have tried 2 other recipes for Chicken Piccata in the last month that were much more difficult and took over an hour to prepare, so I was looking for something simpler. This recipe had fewer steps and took 20 minutes to throw together. I usually pound out my chicken when I get it home from the grocery store and Food Save it, so I had chicken ready to go. The only changes I made were to season the dredging flour (salt, pepper & dried lemon peel) and using half white wine and half chicken broth (for my picky husband who doesn't like the taste of wine in his food!) Absolutely delicious! Thank you Chef John!
I have to wonder about people complaining that the dish is too tart and lemony. It's chicken PICCATA. Don't cook a PICCATA dish if you don't like tart and lemony. Simple. And to leave out the lemon altogether. Unbelievable.
A gourmet recipe! I doubled the sauce ingredients. I usrd chicken broth instead of water and only used 3 T of lemon juice. I loved it! As I was cooking it - I thought that it screamed for the addition of cream. Next time, I'll add cream when making it.
Was very easy to make and delicious. If you are not a lemon fan it may be to strong for you. I served it with pearled couscous and would recommend pouring the sauce on the plate, not on the chicken as it soaks in a leaves the last bites less crunchy!
Watched the how-to video for tips and the chicken piccata turned out awesome! I especially liked the tip about smashing half of the capers. Other than adding a bit of chopped garlic (my personal preference), I followed the recipe exactly. The ratio of the various ingredients are spot on. Thanks Chef John!
I'm not sure if I did something wrong, But we all Did not like it. We will eat out tonight....
I prepared this tonight (unplanned) at my in-laws house with what they had on hand. It was delicious; and I received wonderful compliments. Happy family, happy cook! Thanks Chef.
This is a great quick and easy recipe. If you have a chance, watch the video, it offers some great prep tips. I made it as per the recipe with one exception. I did not want to open a bottle of wine, so I deglazed the pan with chicken broth instead. Delicious!
This is by far the best chicken piccata I've made. I use chicken broth instead of water, and always dredge the breasts in flour, dip in egg and the coat with bread crumbs. It's a lot of work, but worth the effort. Panko bread crumbs work best.
Amazing. And a very good excuse to open a bottle of white on a week night!
I followed the recipe, but want do it again. Way too lemony, no depth of flavor. Sauce didn't thicken, had to add flour. Waste of time.
So Good! Have made this many times. One large lemon yields the correct amount for four servings. My wine preference for this recipe is Pinot Grigio.
We have had this exactly as stated many times. We watch Chef John lots and love all his recipes. We make it with a simple salad and veggies and pour that wonderful sauce over the chicken. We don't add all the starchy rice or potatoes and that is where the calories come from so we still get to use that yummy butter! Thanks Chef John!
Very good recipe. Always looking for another chicken recipe and this one is a keeper. Served this with jasmine rice as a side. Thanks for sharing.
Quite sharp! I expect a piccata to be piquant, but this seemed unpleasantly acid to me and my husband. My usual recipe uses 2 Tbsp. lemon and 3/4 cup chicken broth, otherwise is almost the same. I have loved that and will go back to my tried and true.
Yummy! This went together quick - instructions were easy to follow and dish turned out as expected. I kept the finished chicken pieces warm in a 200 degree oven while cooking the remaining pieces. The chicken was fork tender and sauce delish.
Very good and easy recipe. I used the juice of one lemon and it was plenty. You really need to get that chicken to brown, or your sauce will be all high notes, tart and bland. Caramelizing gives the sauce depth, and low notes and mellows all the acids. Make sure your oil is hot enough to brown. Not too hot, or it will brown too fast and you won't get the chicken cooked through. I've made it 3 times so far and tonight will the be the 4th! Almost halfway to ten!
Chicken Piccata is my favorite dish...very grateful to have found this recipe...My wife always teases me about why do I ever use a recipe because I always change it, a recipe inspires me to creative thoughts...so here goes and I hope you enjoy: Chicken broth instead of water; fresh garlic; small jar of marinaded artichoke hearts; 4 slices of prosciutto sliced into bit size pieces; and upon serving lay out a bed of spinach then egg noodles; chicken and sauce then sprinkle with parmesan cheese...thanks for the inspiration
This is a good recipe basic for a quick & rewarding meal. In a pinch I have used lemon pepper seasoning before dredging in flour when I didn't have the fresh lemon. Also sprinkled dried parsley flakes and parmesan on the chicken during the cooking of the second side...great little cheats for days when you don't have the fresh lemon & parsley. Also good variation is to add sliced frozen artichoke hearts (not marinated!) & mushrooms to change it up!
Extremely simple to make - but phenomenally good. Depending on how tart you like your sauce, I might recommend cutting the lemon juice a bit - but replace with extra wine. This will be a "go to" for me from now on. Restaurant quality taste that makes you look like a chef with skills.
This is really simple to make and delicious. I use this same recipe as a marinade for chicken on the grill and its phenomenal - I butterfly chicken before pounding it, skip the dredging, mix together the rest of the ingredients, toss chicken in for about an hour, and then grill for a few minutes on each side. The smoky flavor really goes well with this recipe. Now I can make it in the cold season and in the warm season!
LOVE this recipe! LOVE Chef John! My 11 year old makes this, it's that easy! Chef John, please do a recipe book, I have yet to find a recipe of yours that I haven't loved, ytb!
I liked it very much. I followed the recipe exactly, but I was rather wary of the amount of lemon juice and added a bit less than the amount stated. Delicious. I cooked too much chicken and ate the rest for supper. The sauce was even better second time round. I can't understand anyone having trouble making it. Everything did just what it was supposed to do.
I prepared this exactly as written, then served it with a thick spaghetti over which I drizzled the remaining pan juices. My husband's review: "If I had paid $25 for that in a restaurant, I would have considered it worth every penny." This one's definitely going in the rotation. Perfectly balanced flavours and moist, tender chicken.
Delicious! I would not call it "quick", but it is certainly worth the effort. I have made it several times, and everyone raves about this dish. Chicken breasts in my area are sometimes so thick that I either cook them longer or butterfly them to make them thinner. Either way, the lemon, butter, wine, and caper sauce is the key to the flavors. If you use more chicken than is in the recipe, don't forget to make extra sauce to go with it. I used a large electric skillet to have enough space for 6 pieces of chicken, then added about 50% more sauce. The lemon flavor stands out, so I have only used freshly squeezed lemon juice. I did substitute Italian seasoning for the fresh parsley. If some of your guests don't like lemons and capers, just don't return those pieces to the sauce mixture, and end up with lightly battered fried chicken. With picky eaters, I have also made the sauce separately and let each person pour it on like gravy, if they wanted to try it. I prefer to return the chicken to the sauce to soak in more flavor like the recipe says, but it is still quite good if the sauce is added later.
I have made this over and over. The changes that I use are to sauté the chicken in lemon olive oil and I add lots of fresh garlic. ( we like garlic ) Use the amount of capers that Chef John's recipe calls for. That is one ingredient where more is not necessarily better. Capers are quite salty. This is a fantastic recipe.
Made this last night. Found it to be too sour. Added a little chicken broth to tone it down. Will not make this one again. :>(
Super easy and fast! I used [homemade, salt-free] chicken stock instead of the water. I also didn't mush up any of the capers because I find them strong enough. I made this after watching Chef John's video.
The lemon taste is too strong, sauce didn't thicken and made the chicken soggy. I will not make this again.
I don't know what went wrong but it was too bitter. I think I may have used too much wine. It was actually better the next day but I wouldn't make this again. My 5yr nephew loved it so, maybe it's just me.
Wow!!!! This recipe is amaaaaaazing! I've NEVER written a review before and I've been on allrecipes.com for a couple years now. This honestly tasted like the chicken I have at our favorite Italian restaurant. Will definitely make this again and especially great for a party! Mashed potatoes and broccoli...mmm mmm!
Outstanding! I made this exactly as written and it was delicious. Thank you Chef John for a simple and delicious recipe. It made for a "fancy" Sunday night dinner with hardly any effort at all. I can absolutely see making this every couple of weeks. Yum!!
I added 3 garlic cloves..and used whole wheat flour for breading. ..yummy
This is with out a doubt one of my favourite chicken recipes. It hasn't even been a week that's gone by since I've discovered this recipe and I have already made it twice.
Very good and relatively easy. I had to cook mine longer than 5 minutes per side and I thought it was a tad too lemony but still delicious. I like to make a recipe exactly as stated and then make adjustments. Still I think this is definitely 5 stars and now I can adjust to my own tastes. I did need to add a little bit of corn starch to thicken the sauce but just a small amount. Maybe I didn't flour my chicken enough to help that process.
I'm not sure if I did something wrong, I used a chardonney wine instead of a basic white. I didn't really like it but my dad did. I will make it again using chicken stock and maybe just a splash of wine next time and def only use a couple tsp of lemon juice.
This was an amazing dish! Easy and fun. Smashing the capers really added to the flavor.
Delicious and so easy. Definitely smash the capers as directed. Used chicken stock in place of water - else perfect as written.
Tried this last night and we loved it! Next time more capers and a little less lemon juice but it was really good. Did what another reviewer did to the pasta and it was a great idea. Drained the pasta then put minced garlic, 1/3 cup olive oil, half stick of butter and cup of chicken broth in the pot. Brought it to a boil, turned it off and added the pasta to it. It was really good even without the chicken!
Made this tonight and it was so good! I halved the lemon juice and added a jar of artichoke hearts with the capers. Also, if you like sauce, definitely double the sauce ingredients. We loved it!
I use just under 1/4 cup of lemon juice to keep this from being too tart & add garlic powder to the seasoned chicken but those are the only modifications. INCREDIBLE!!!! One of our fave family meals. Super easy & yum! Chef John has some amazing recipes on here!
This is actually my FIRST review of a recipe! This is perfect! I followed the recipe exactly as written, except I added a crushed clove of garlic to the sauce mixture right after the capers. The lemon and caper combination made for excellent flavor! My husband loved it and I actually made extra sauce after we finished dinner so there would be sauce for the remaining pieces of chicken (I made extra or leftovers). Thanks Chef John! Fabulous dinner, which I paired with Rice Pilaf and String Beans Almondine. Perfect combos, I think!
Probably one of the best chicken dishes I've ever had. I love the balance of lemon and capers, just awesome!
This recipe is very easy and very tasty. The chicken was so tender. It actually took me longer to prepare than the recipe stated, but maybe that's just me. I cut back on the lemon juice and added garlic, personal preferences. My boyfriend loved it!
Better than you think if make it right! and if you're not a big fan of lemon, just cut down the amount of lemon juice you use a touch and it makes it top notch.
I loved this. My husband liked it too. It was just something different and light but yes tart. I followed the recipe exactly except I only had evoo. I'll be making this many more times because it's also supper easy and pretty quick.
This was delicious and so easy. I didn't have white wine so I used a splash of white wine vinegar in the chicken stock. I replaced the water with all chicken stock. My hubby and I thought it was a bit tart but my daughter thought it was perfect. Probably due to the vinegar so if I substitute this again I will add a little sugar. Also a beautiful dish. Will impress your dinner guests!! I served it over angel hair pasta. Try this recipe !! You won't regret it :)
I loved the flavor of this dish! It's sweet and tart, and went great over pasta. The only changes I made were to toss in some extra capers, and I did have to cook the sauce longer for it to thicken. One of my new favorites.
This was delicious. We didn't have capers so I used chopped black olives. It was different but still gave it that tart and tangy twist. I also used champagne versus white wine.
Made this chicken recipe and it was excellent. The sauce is soooo good! My entire family loved it. Thanks for sharing!
Followed the instructions to a tee and this came out fantastic! My husband and I both thought it was delicious.
Amazing. Easy and delicious. I wouldn't change a thing. 5 stars for this recipe
I love Chef John's easy-to-follow recipes. I've made this a few times. You can substitute low sodium chicken broth for the wine and you can use half of the butter and thicken the sauce with corn starch mixed with water. I served this tonight over whole wheat angel hair pasta and an arugula salad dressed with a little olive oil and lemon juice. It paired very nicely.
Absolutely delicious and great presentation.... would make it again and again, and would serve it to guests. I followed the recipe (I always do the first time and then make my adjustments - no adjustments here) I used Toasted Head Chardonnay for the white wine. Accompanied it with Basmati Rice and chopped romain salad.
I just made this tonight and I absolutely loved it! It was very easy and delicious! Even my 7 year old who I thought would baulk at the capers ate her entire plate. The only thing I did differently (on accident I should add lol) was 1 tablespoon more olive oil and and extra tablespoon of capers) what I did differently on purpose was add the exact same seasonings that I seasoned the chicken with to the flour for extra taste. If you nomally enjoy chicken piccata then you will love this recipe- 5 stars for sure!
Chef this was the first time making this dish and as all of your recipes this one is a add on keeper!!!
My First Review - It was that good and that easy. I didn't have chicken breasts, used strips. Didn't have flour, used breadcrumbs. Didn't have white wine, used champagne. Didn't have butter, used margarine, decreased the water in the recipe and thickened with the tiniest bit of cornstarch at the end. Had thin spagetti that I served it with and it was so so so good! And way easy too. Can't wait to make it with the proper ingredients! Thanks Chef John!!
Awesome recipe...very simple and quick to make. You can serve it with pasta, rice, or by itself with some veggies. Excellent weeknight recipe!
I love Chef John’s recipes. I just still need to make it my own. I made a couple tweaks, added minced garlic when I started to make sauce, also used more lemon juice and no water. I also added 1/2 teaspoon of cornstarch to the lemon before adding. Also half fume Blanc and half chicken stock. I ended up with more lemony gravy which is great over vegetables.
Chef John's recipe is easier & just as delicious as my usual "go to" piccata recipe. In fact, it's going to replace it. Only change I made was using chicken stock instead of water. Not too lemony, not too salty, it's perfect! Very tasty
Really good! And really easy. My family loved it. Next time I will make a little more sauce and cut back on the lemon juice just a bit.
This recipe is a winner! The touch of cayenne pepper was fabulous. All the men in my family loved it. As usual Chef John's recipes are a winner.
This was very good but the sauce didn't thicken much. Next time I will add a little flour or something. The flavor was very good, but might use a little less lemon next time too.
This was a great recipe. I had to add a bit of cornstarch to thicken up the sauce, but other than that, it was a hit in my house. Thanks for sharing!
Simple and DELICIOUS!!!!! Piccata has always been a favorite dish of mine but THIS recipe is our new family FAVE!!!! No changes, just sad when it's all gone!!!!
Very good- husband told me he wants this again- already packed it up for his lunch tomorrow - I tossed in some mushrooms that I needed to use
I made this for our "Family Sunday Night dinner" and everyone loved it! I served it with fresh whole green beans, hot rolls, and mushroom rice and everyone gobbled it up. My kids are college-age, so their palates are maybe more mature than young children's and they loved the sauce. I had a hungry clan so I doubled everything and kept the first batch of chicken warm in the oven while cooking the 2nd batch. I tripled the sauce and added 1 tsp. minced garlic based on earlier reviews. I added a small amount (1-2 tsp) of a cornstarch/water blend to thicken the sauce a little bit since I cut back a tad on the butter. Definitely a winner and I've been requested to make this again. Thanks for the yummy recipe! I'm only sorry I forgot to take a picture---it looked that good!
Made this 3 times already and it's delicious! I love the lemon juice and capers. It makes such a nice sauce. Just made this again tonight and the sauce wouldn't thicken. It was very good though! Another review 2 years later and this remains a staple in my house. Hubby loves it!
Love it! Made double the amount of sauce and poured it over angel hair pasta!
This is one of my absolute favorite recipes! I like this better than most restaurant dishes I have had!
This is an amazing recipe! Probably ranking on my top 10 list of favorites from this site. It is quite easy to make and the flavor is, well, refreshing and different from any chicken recipe I have ever tasted. It makes the taste buds really work overtime. Love, love, love! My teenage daughter even loves it.
Way too much lemon juice in the sauce! The chicken was tasty but could use a little more seasoning. I added garlic after the capers and only used about 1/2 tsp capers. I also added Famous Dave's seasoning to the sauce. I would use 2 TBSP of lemon juice next time. The sauce was so bitter, I thought I'd have to throw it out. I was able to fix it by adding some sugar and then chicken stock and flour to thicken. Next time, use chicken stock instead of water. Everyone liked the dish after I fixed the sauce.
Ooh, I really like this recipe! The only changes I made were to leave out the capers (not a huge fan) and the parsley (the parsley I bought was lifeless and tasteless). My sauce didn't get thick at all, not sure if I did something wrong, but it was still very tasty. I made brown rice and Roasted Garlic Cauliflower (from this site) to accompany the chicken.
Love this chicken. The only thing I did different is I added more capers, because I love them. Yum!!!
