Try this Easy Chicken Piccata Recipe recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 36.4009027509404 g
- Cholesterol 191.996342938081 mg
- Fat 55.0869695828149 g
- Fiber 1.62400913570396 g
- Protein 45.6291648306772 g
- Saturated Fat 17.9668325415402 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (313g)
- Sodium 956.864786742457 mg
- Sugar 34.7768936152364 g
- Trans Fat 5.89294324481394 g
- Calories 828 calories
Step-by-step
- Sprinkle chicken tenderloins with salt and pepper then dredge in flour.
- Heat 2 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet.
- Once hot, add chicken and cook for 3 -4 minutes - chicken should be lightly browned.
- Flip and cook for an additional 3 -4 minutes.
- Remove chicken from pan.
- Add chicken broth, lemon juice and capers to pan and stir. Bring to a slow simmer.
- Place chicken back into pan and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove chicken to serving dish.
- Add last two tablespoons of butter and whisk to combine.
- Pour sauce over chicken.
- Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Operating under the constraint of a single heavy skillet, this dish relies on pan-searing to build foundational flavor without requiring specialized commercial equipment. Searing meat efficiently demands high heat and dry surfaces; moisture on the chicken prevents the desired golden crust from forming. Avoiding common culinary errors ensures success. Cooks frequently ruin pan sauces by adding cold butter directly into boiling liquid, which breaks the emulsion instead of yielding a velvety finish. Whisking fat in off the heat creates a stable suspension of liquid and lipids.
Accompaniments That Cut Richness
Starchy bases absorb the pan juices effectively without competing with the assertive citrus element. Polenta cooked to a smooth consistency or buttered egg noodles offer the ideal porous texture for trapping the briny caper reduction. Steamed green vegetables provide necessary visual and textural contrast against the tender protein.Acid Balance in Pan Sauces
Acidity acts as a structural component rather than a mere seasoning in traditional Italian-American skillet preparations. Lemon juice reduces heavy fats, creating an integrated sauce profile when combined with salty capers. Simmering the liquid prior to final butter integration reduces harshness and concentrates volatile aromatics.Pan Maintenance Principles
Fond left on the bottom of cast iron or stainless steel pans requires careful deglazing to incorporate properly. Adding chicken broth immediately after removing the protein releases browned proteins into the sauce base. Scraping the skillet surface with a wooden spatula ensures zero loss of flavor compounds during the reduction phase.
