Welcome to Fall! As the weather turns cooler, I find my taste buds craving a little richness, but not too much because then I’ll have to hit the gym. My version of Chicken Piccata dances between these two worlds, satisfying my cravings but doing it in a light and quick way.
I remember the first time I had chicken piccata was in a little Italian restaurant in New York City. I was a starving acting student, and some friends worked there as waiters. The owner would take pity on starving artists and heavily discount the odd meal for us. I had grown up eating chicken caciatore and cutlets but had never had piccata, which appeared on the menu. When my friends heard this, they insisted I have it. That was my introduction to the marriage of caramelized chicken, salty capers, tart lemon, and rich butter that both dance in and coat the mouth. When I returned home to Calgary, I made the dish for my parents, and it became a staple of our Family.
Piccata means to beat, and traditionally you pounded skinless chicken breast, or occasionally thighs or pork loin until it was paper thin. Since I like to save time and avoid accidentally smashing my hand, I skip the beating part. The method I prefer may not be as thin a final product as pounding it, but I like that it has more chew and remains juicy.
You can slice the meat for piccata or ask your butcher to do it. I usually take the chicken breast, turkey is what I used in the photo, and I run a very sharp knife parallel to the meat, carefully slicing off thin sections to use for the piccata. The slices may not be as paper-thin as pounded cutlets, but I like having a little thicker piece, which has more texture and doesn’t dry out as fast.
I like serving piccata with sautéed peas or a bitter green salad. Arugula or radicchio salad are great accompaniments.
Below, you will find the ingredients and directions laid out. Try it and let me know what you think. If you enjoy my chicken piccata recipe, please share it on social or by word of mouth. You can find many of the components of my dish at Vancouver Farmers Markets.
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If you have any food questions, are looking for suggestions, or want to catch up, please do reach out. Thanks to so many of you for your lovely notes. Until next time be well and always #EatwiththoseyouLove ®
Peter
Pasta Boy Peter ®
As with any recipe always use safe cooking procedures, & food safe practices. Health Canada is a great site for all food safe guidelines. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/topics/food-safety.html
Rich and Savoury Chicken Piccata Recipe
Serves 2-3
Equipment:
A sharp Chef’s knife
A heavy-bottomed frying pan, or skillet
A pair of tongs
A large fork
Teaspoons and Tablespoons
A pie plate or deep dish
A dinner plate lined with paper towel
Ingredients:
2 skinless chicken breasts thinly sliced. Another option is to use turkey breast or pork loin for this recipe.
½ cup of all-purpose flour plus 1 teaspoon of cornstarch – you can substitute all-purpose gluten-free flour in this recipe as well – you can also eliminate any use of flour if you wish
2 Tablespoons of butter
1 lemon – you will need the juice and the zest – I zest the lemon over a small bowl first and then juice it
2 teaspoons of vegetable oil – you can use olive oil
2 Tablespoons heaping full of capers
1 clove of garlic thinly sliced
Salt, Pepper, and Thyme to taste
Chicken Piccata Recipe Instructions:
Add flour to the pie plate or deep dish, and then add 1 tsp of salt, 1 tsp of fresh cracked black pepper, and ½ tsp of dry Thyme. If using fresh Thyme save it, as we will add it to the sauce at the end. Mix the flour and herbs.
Create thin pieces of chicken by carefully running a sharp knife parallel to the meat; you can also ask your butcher to do it.
Season each piece of meat lightly with salt and pepper, then lay it in the flour mixture. Dust one side of the chicken and then flip it to coat the other. Every piece should be lightly coated with the flour mixture. Shake off any extra flour and place it on a separate plate or tray.
Once that plate or tray is full, remember not to stack the meat, turn the stove on to medium-high heat. Let the pan heat up before adding oil. When the pan is hot add 1 teaspoon of oil and let that heat up for 30 seconds. The oil should be hot but not smoking when you add the meat.
Carefully swirl the pan to coat the bottom. Add one piece of meat to the pan to see if it is hot enough. The meat should sizzle as soon as you’ve added it. If the meat sizzles add slices into the pan one at a time, creating an even layer that is not crowded.
You will want to cook your meat in two or three batches. Again, don’t overcrowd the meat or it won’t brown properly. Sautee each piece until it is lightly brown on the one side and then flip it to brown on the other side.
Because the pieces are thin they should cook quickly. Look for any juices coming out to be clear, check that the internal temperature is 74 degrees Celsius, and cut one open to ensure it is cooked. As soon as they are cooked, remove them from your pan using a clean fork, and add to a plate lined with a paper towel.
Add your second teaspoon of oil to the pan and cook the remaining meat.
Once all the meat has been cooked, drain off any of the remaining oil. Let your pan cool down and then carefully give it a quick wipe with a paper towel to remove loose bits. If the pan has a bit of caramelized brown bits stuck to the bottom that is great because it will add flavour to your sauce.
Put your pan back on the stove and set it to medium-high heat. Add 1 TBSP of butter, half your garlic, and 1 teaspoon of capers. Once the butter has melted and started to foam add half your chicken back into the pan. Cook for 30 seconds, add ½ your lemon juice, and cook everything together until it thickens. Remove to your serving plate. Finish with the butter, lemon, and caper sauce on top. Remember, to sprinkle your lemon zest on each piece for extra flavour. Repeat with the other half of your ingredients.
Serving
Serve by spooning any remaining sauce in the pan on top of the chicken and adding a pinch of the lemon zest. I find that due to the capers, you will not need any extra salt but feel free to season as you wish.
As I said earlier, I like serving piccata with sautéed peas or a bitter green salad. Arugula or radicchio salad are great accompaniments.
Now go and try this Rich and Savoury Chicken Piccata recipe, and always remember to #EatwiththoseyouLove ®
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Peter
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Pasta Boy Peter ® 2023