Chicken Piccata

Chicken piccata was the first meal I learned to cook on my own. My mom and dad had just divorced and I was living with my dad. My mom had mostly stayed home to raise my sister and me, and she was a passable cook, but my dad was pretty inept. He was a pilot, worked a lot, and relied on my mom to feed us, When they separated, I was 14 and had never cooked anything more than macaroni and cheese.

My mom was of the generation that took pride in eschewing historical feminine norms, which is great in some ways, but in her generation was lost so much kn0wledge that had been passed down from mother to daughter for generations. Don’t get me wrong. In no way do I believe women should be relegated to the kitchen and child-bearing, but as someone who enjoys feeding my family food I have cooked myself, I missed out on having someone to pass on their culinary knowledge.

“You’ll feel like a full-on chef once you conquer this easy but elegant dish. It’s easy enough for a weeknight meal, but impressive enough to serve to guests. ”

The pride in teaching myself to cook always makes me think of my first fumbling in the kitchen learning to make chicken piccata. My dad, seeing my interest in learning to cook, bought a couple cookbooks for me, and I picked out the chicken piccata recipe to try first. It was in the 90s and I had never heard of a caper before. Now I keep a jar in the pantry at all times. They add a tangy brightness that pairs perfectly with the lemon.

This buttery dish is still one of my all-time favorite recipes. It’s easy to make, healthy, and packed with delicious, light, summery flavors and a beautiful balance of richness and freshness. And it looks beautiful plated, and I love the sauce on everything from rice and pasta to broccoli or asparagus. It’s just plain GOOD. And best of all, you’ll feel like a full-on chef once you conquer this easy but elegant dish. It’s easy enough for a weeknight meal, but impressive enough to serve to guests.

NOTE: There is a hidden bonus to this recipe that anyone with an allium allergy or intolerance will appreciate. I was recently on a cooking sub-reddit of someone asking for recipes for those who can’t eat foods from the allium family (garlic, onions, leeks, shallots, chives, scallions, etc.). Everyone in the comments felt such pity for people who can’t eat these foods. One person mentioned that they start 90% of their recipes by sautéing an onion. It’s true: so many recipes start off this way, and for good reason. Onions and garlic add a delicious base flavor you can’t beat. But this recipe is one of very few that packs a punch of flavor without the need for alliums!

CHICKEN PICCATA RECIPE

There are many recipes for chicken piccata out there, but I like to keep this one simple—it really doesn’t need anything extra to make it delicious, and keeping the recipe simple makes it much easier to prepare quickly on a busy weeknight. This recipe also works with fish.

INGREDIENTS

For the Chicken:

• 4 chicken cutlets

• ½ cup flour

• Olive oil

• 2 T butter

For the Sauce:

• ½ cup dry white wine or *chicken stock

• 2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice

• ¼ cup capers, well-drained

• 2 T cold butter

• 2 T fresh chopped parsley

*If using chicken stock in place of the wine, add a dash of white wine vinegar for a hit of acidity

DIRECTIONS

For the Chicken:

1. Pound chicken until thin, if needed. Pat dry and season with salt.

2. Dredge chicken thoroughly in the flour until well coated.

3. Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet on medium high heat.

4. Add half of the chicken pieces, do not crowd the pan. Brown well on each side, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and cook the remaining chicken in the same manner; remove from pan and cover with foil while you make the sauce.

For the Sauce:

1. Deglaze the pan by adding the wine (or stock), lemon juice, and capers. Scrape up all the brown bits (fond) on the bottom of the pan. That’s where the flavor is at! Simmer until reduced by half.

2. Remove from heat and add cold butter until melted, Add parsley and return chicken to pan to coat with the sauce. Serve and enjoy!

What to serve with chicken piccata?

For a light, summery meal, healthier meal, serve with broccoli, asparagus, green beans and/or on a bed of spinach (the hot sauce serves as a dressing and also slightly wilts the leaves.

If you’re craving a starchier side, rice or angel hair pasta is perfect tastes great drizzled in the buttery sauce. Or use toasted baguette to soak up the sauce left on your plate (it’s easier than licking the plate clean, and as delicious as the sauce is, you’ll want to!).

For a more indulgent side, serve with fettuccine alfredo.

Couscous or a risotto also make excellent side dishes for chicken piccata.

If you’re new to cooking, this is a great recipe to learn on. And even if you’re an experienced cook, this is a great recipe to have in your arsenal. It’s so simple that after a time or two you won’t even need to look at the recipe.

Whether served with creamy fettuccine alfredo, roasted vegetables, or a simple side of pasta, it’s a meal that feels special without being complicated. I hope this recipe inspires you to slow down, gather around the table, and enjoy a simple homemade dinner.