Lemony Chicken Piccata

Recipes

This past year all of us really got into all things lemon — lemon pasta, lemon twist martinis (lemonade for the girls), lemon bars. So naturally I had to perfect my chicken piccata with lemon so that the little ladies would eat it without me having to tell them to eat every 2.5 seconds.

The key I think to a really over the top lemony chicken piccata is to use a really crisp, grapefruit forward white wine in the sauce. The grapefruit taste balances beautifully with the fresh lemon juice. Also, notice I said fresh lemon juice –take the time to squeeze fresh juice from an actual lemon, trust me it is worth it (and zest a little of the skin too!).

For the chicken breasts, I like to slice mine lengthwise in half than to pound them out thin. This way the sauce can easily make its way through the entire bite of chicken. If you are using thick chicken breasts you won’t enjoy the benefits of the lemony sauce throughout the entire bite you take.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 5 tbsp salted butter
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 of large onion, chopped
  • 1.5 lbs chicken breasts, sliced lengthwise then pounded thin
  • 1/2 c flour for dredging
  • 1/2 c white wine (I love a grapefruit forward wine)
  • juice of 1/2 a lemon, plus 1/2 tsp zest
  • 2 tbsp capers, rinsed well
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • pinch of red pepper flakes
  • fresh chopped parsley for garnish
  • freshly grated parmesan for garnish

Directions:

  1. Heat your oven to 200 degrees F. You will use this to keep the cooked pieces of chicken warm as you cook them in batches and while you make the sauce.
  2. Slice your chicken breasts lengthwise to make them thin. Using a mallet, pound the chicken breast out until thin. Then season both sides with salt and pepper to your liking (this is in addition to the S&P listed on the above ingredients list). Dredge each breast in the flour.
  3. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Cook the chicken breast on one side for about 2-3 minutes then turn them over and cook the other side for an additional 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan and put on oven safe dish. Work in batches until all chicken is cooked then place in oven to keep warm.
  4. Time to prepare the lemon sauce. In the same saucepan you cooked the chicken, add the a splash more of olive oil and all the butter. Add the garlic and onions and cook until onions become translucent in look.
  5. Next add in the wine, lemon juice, lemon zest and capers. Bring the sauce to a slight boil and scrap off any browned pieces from cooking the chicken and stir into the sauce.
  6. Return the chicken to the sauce and let it sit in the sauce for about 4 minutes while basting the top of the chicken with the sauce.
  7. Remove from heat and garnish with the parsley and some freshly grated parmesan.

*I love serving this dish with pearl couscous and garlicky green beans or broccoli.