Recipe Notes: Chicken Piccata

4 February 2018

Recipe from Cook's Illustrated, January 2018

I believe that I have had chicken piccata before, probably in a restaurant where it is a safe dish to order when you aren't sure about the other choices. Chicken breasts are browned gently and served with a bright sauce with lemons and capers. It could make for a good, quick dinner.

The Cook's Illustrated web site includes a "for two" version of this recipe using just 2, rather than 4, chicken breasts. Each breast is cut into 3 pieces so we had this dish for 3 meals. I didn't note how long it took to prepare, but I would guess about an hour. The chicken is seasoned and set aside for 15 minutes. It is then dredged in flour and cooked in a skillet until golden brown on each side which takes only 5-6 minutes.  While the chicken rests the sauce is prepared in the same skillet. Shallot is cooked in oil until softened and garlic is added and cooked until fragrant. To this, chicken broth, lemon juice, and lemon slices (with the zest) are added and simmered. The chicken cutlets are placed in the sauce and simmered for 4 minutes. The chicken is moved to a serving platter and the sauce simmered for a few more minutes to thicken it. It is finished with butter, capers, and fresh parsley.

Unfortunately I have fallen behind with my blogging so it has been a month it chicken was too pale. Comparing it with the video on the Cook's Illustrated web site, though, suggests it was okay. If anything, I overcooked the chicken thinking it should be browner. Even with this flaw, we enjoyed chicken piccata for several meals. The sauce was bright with just the right amount of acidity and seasoning. This is a dish worth making again: quick and easy, just a handful of common ingredients, just don't go too crazy with the sides.