Chicken Piccata

I almost can’t believe it’s taken me this long to film an episode about Chicken Piccata. I’m not lying when I say this is truly one of my family’s favorite recipes. My kids love it and request it regularly. I don’t think I could even calculate how many times I’ve made it at this point. The brilliance in this classic dish is the flavor of bright lemon and capers, a satisfying crispy chicken, and a simple starch like rice or pasta to soak it all up. 

I start this recipe like I could a chicken milanese and get the poultry nice and thin. This way it crisps up a lot better and makes for a satisfying bite when you’re eating the whole meal. After it’s cooked, I make the rich lemon sauce, which I love because it’s so deeply flavorful, but not heavy at all.  My kids like to have this with rice or pasta because the warm starch soaks up the lemon flavor so none of it is wasted. I serve the chicken on top of the starch and drizzle the entire thing with the lemony flavor. 

Sometimes my kids like their foods separate on their plates, but not this dish. The ideal scenario is to get a bite of chicken, pasta, lemon sauce, and caper in every single bite. This way you get the full spectrum of the dish and it’s incredibly satisfying.  

This is a dish for busy weeknights or slow weekends. It works at any time of the year and will always please a crowd. In fact, this is a great dish to make for my children when they have friends over because they love it, too. 

Enjoy this beautiful Chicken Piccata for dinner this week! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Cheers! 

Chicken Piccata 

This is a truly a favorite dinner amongst all of my children. It’s easy to make and full of bright lemony flavor. 

Ingredients: 

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 

• ½ cup all-purpose flour 

• Salt and pepper, to taste 

• 2 cups of vegetable or olive oil 

• 1 tbsp djion mustard 

• 3 eggs 

• 2 ½ cups of panko bread crumbs 

• 1 cup chicken broth 

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons) 

• 2 tablespoons capers, drained 

• Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish) 

Instructions: 

1. Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound them to an even thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin (about ½ inch thick). 

2. Prepare your breading station by whisking together the eggs and djion mustard in a bowl, adding the breadcrumbs to another shallow dish, and adding the flour to a third shallow dish. 

3. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.  

4. Dredge the chicken in flour first, then egg wash and then the panko bread crumbs.  

5. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the skillet and set aside. 

6. In the same skillet, turn off the heat. Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, and capers and parsley. Stir to combine and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes. 

7. Pour the sauce over the chicken and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve immediately with your favorite side dish, my kids love pasta and white rice.  

Nikki Glekas is the owner of Nikki Glekas Events, a full-service catering and events company located in Stamford, CT.. To discuss further please contact team@nikkiglekascollective.com or call 203.658.8659.