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Chicken Piccata

Name: Chicken Piccata
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients: boneless chicken — 454 g; salt — 5 g; black pepper — 3 g; all-purpose flour — 60 g; olive oil — 41 g; unsalted butter — 54 g; garlic — 9 g; dry white wine — 118 g; low-salt chicken broth — 177 g; lemon juice — 59 g; capers — 59 g; parsley — 7 g

Chicken Piccata reads richness 6.1, citrus 5.4 and umami 4.6 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian-American main, about 15 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 5.2 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 2.8 / 10
Sour & Bright — 6.7 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 1.2 / 10
Rich & Fat — 6.4 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 4.0 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Richness 6.1 · Citrus 5.4 · Umami 4.6 · Sourness 4.6 · Salinity 4.4 · Allium 3.5 · Herbaceous 2.8 · Fruity 2.4 · Funk & Ferment 2.0 · Warm Spice 1.5 · Floral 1.5 · Nutty 1.1 · Sweetness 1.1 · Earthy 1.0 · Bitterness 1.0 · Heat 0.8

What's in it (12)

boneless chicken — 454 g
salt — 5 g
black pepper — 3 g
all-purpose flour — 60 g
olive oil — 41 g
unsalted butter — 54 g
garlic — 9 g
dry white wine — 118 g
low-salt chicken broth — 177 g
lemon juice — 59 g
capers — 59 g
parsley — 7 g

Time & effort: about 15 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 103.1 kcal, 14.4 g protein, 5.9 g fat, 6.1 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (10 steps)

Working with one breast at a time, slice horizontally through the thickest part to create two thin cutlets, then pound each between plastic wrap to an even 1/4-inch thickness.
Season both sides of the cutlets with the salt and pepper.
Dredge each cutlet in the flour, shaking off the excess, and set aside on a plate.
Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in two batches so the pan stays hot, sear the cutlets until deeply golden on the first side, 2-3 minutes, flip and sear the second side until golden, 2 minutes more; transfer to a plate.
Lower the heat to medium, add the garlic to the same skillet, and sauté until fragrant but not browned, about 30 seconds.
Pour in the wine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and simmer until reduced by about half, 2 minutes.
Whisk in the chicken broth, lemon juice, and capers; simmer until the sauce reduces slightly and coats the back of a spoon, 4-5 minutes.
Return the chicken cutlets and any accumulated juices to the skillet; simmer until the chicken is opaque throughout and reaches 165°F, 2-3 minutes.
Take the skillet off the heat and swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter until the sauce turns glossy, then stir in the parsley.
Taste the sauce and season with more salt if needed, then plate the cutlets and spoon the lemon-caper sauce generously over the top.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Chicken Piccata Pasta — Italian-American
Skillet Chicken Piccata — Italian-American
Veal Piccata — Italian-American
Chicken Francese — Italian-American
Greek Pork Souvlaki Pita Wraps — Greek

Keep reading: what richness, citrus, umami mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.