Chicken Piccatta

When we are little, we spent an awful lot of time telling our parents what we DID NOT like. On the contrary, our parents spent an insane amount of time just worrying about getting us to eat SOMETHING.

I seem to have come into this very interesting twilight zone where I am worrying about what my parents will and will not eat. In my adolescent brain, my parents ate everything and NOTHING was off limits. Boy was I wrong.

Dad will not eat ANY type of beans. Not one. Nada. There goes chili night.

Mom does not like beets, squash, spinach or capers. I’m sure the list is longer than that but those are just the ones that I have tried to make for her that resulted in a face of disgust.

Now that I am on this wannabe foodie path, I have discovered that my dislike of many of these foods was unjust. I didn’t want to eat them because I had never been exposed to them. Turns out, I like every single thing they won’t eat. Which leads me to the point of this long rambling tangent…

Where has chicken piccatta been all of my life? It’s been hanging out with the enemy. The capers.

FYI. These are capers...


These are green peppercorns that look like capers...


Be careful or you will have to have your guests go to the store to fix your mistakes.

I recently tried this dish at a yummy Italian restaurant and just had to make it myself. It was a big hit with the party people. There was barely a morsel left of Wednesday’s lunch. Disappointing.

You will need…

2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups all purpose flour, for dredging
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup brined capers, rinsed
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Season chicken with salt and pepper and then dredge the chicken in flour and shake off the excess.



In a large 10 or 12-inch skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes.


When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate. Melt 2 more tablespoons butter and add another 2 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.


Reduce heat to medium low and add the lemon juice, stock and capers.




Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary.
Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to sauce and whisk vigorously.

Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley and lemon slices.


Now your weekend task is to try one thing you think won’t like but have never tried. I’m currently batting a thousand.

Love and Beer Floats
Angela