Chicken Piccata Recipe: A Simple & Flavorful Italian Meal

Here’s my simple, yet elegant Chicken Piccata recipe that’s easy on the budget, too.  The capers can be a bit pricey, but if you consider that one small jar of capers will last you about three or four meals, they’re actually cost-effective and a unique touch to the meal.  If your supermarket carries more than one size of capers, I would opt for the smaller size.

Chicken Piccata Recipe

Here’s what you’ll need:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (choose thinner breasts; if they are thick, you’ll want to slice them in half horizontally)

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup white wine (optional)

1 3/4 cups chicken broth -or- 1 cup thick homemade chicken stock mixed with 3/4 cup water

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2-3 tablespoons capers

chopped, dried parsley

Here’s what to do:

In a small bowl, mix the salt and pepper, then sprinkle over chicken pieces.

Add flour to the small bowl, and dredge each chicken breast in the flour.  Coat well.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat.  When hot, add the chicken pieces.  Saute until golden brown, turning as necessary.

Remove the chicken pieces into a glass baking dish; set aside and keep warm.

Add two tablespoons of the flour back into the skillet and cook for a few seconds.  Add the wine (if you are using it) and cook about 30 seconds, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Add the chicken broth and lemon juice.  Bring to a simmer for about three minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened.

Add chicken back to pan.  Sprinkle with capers and parsley.  Simmer gently, cover, and heat through for about five minutes.

Serves well over buttered pasta.