Quick Weeknight Chicken Piccata
This recipe is completely inspired by my boyfriend’s mother / future mother in law :). She is the queen of simple, tasty, nutritious, and clean dinner ideas like this. So many of her recipes are centered around a few fresh ingredients, cooked very simply. That is one of the most valuable cooking lessons I have learned from her – you don’t always have to go overboard with very involved recipes to make a great dinner. She will take something as simple as a cucumber to the next level, just by drizzling a really good olive oil and some fresh fleur de sel on it. That’s why I love this recipe so much. With only a few ingredients, you will be able to come up with a healthy and delicious weeknight dinner in no time at all!
There are so many variations of chicken piccata – some recipes with capers, without, some people add a little white wine, some serve with pasta, some without; the possibilities are endless. I chose this very simple way of making it because that’s what Albert’s mother Rina does when she is just whipping up a quick dinner for us, and it always amazes me how clean and beautiful it tastes. But you should totally make this recipe your own, and serve it any way you want to!
Also…. I have a little bit of a plea to make to all of my readers. I put a lot of time, love, and effort into this blog. My biggest hope is that I can help inspire other home cooks like myself, to make amazing and nutritious weeknight dinners for their friends and family. So… that being said, it would absolutely mean the world to me if you vote for me for this years Saveur Food Blog Awards! I am really hoping to be nominated at least as a finalist in the most inspired weeknight dinner section, and I appreciate all your love and help in advance!
Now, back to this yummy piccata! You can serve the chicken piccata over pasta, by itself, over some rice and pour the lemon gravy sauce over it…. now my mouth is watering! I love dishes like this for the gravy. The vibrant flavor of the lemon sauce in this dish is just out of this world. One thing I would be sure to be careful of, is overcooking the chicken. If you do this, it will be rubbery and hard, and you don’t want that! Since the pieces are so thin, it really wont take longer than about 2-3 minutes on each side, so time it carefully.
Isn’t this just the easiest weeknight dinner recipe?! If y’all make it, be sure to hashtag #atastymess with a picture of the dish so I can see your creations!
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half
- ½ cup flour, for dredging
- salt and pepper
- olive oil for cooking
- 2 Tbsp. chopped parsley, for serving
- ½ cup water
- 2 lemons, juiced
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- Once you have cut your chicken breasts in half, place them on a cutting board and cover with a sheet of heavy duty plastic wrap or parchment paper. Pound the chicken breast using a meat mallet, until they are about ¼ inch thick or so. Then, season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Place the flour in a shallow dish, and dip each side of the chicken in the flour, until covered completely. Shake off the excess flour and set aside.
- Heat about 4-5 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add in two pieces of chicken at a time, and cook about 3 minutes on each side, or until golden and cooked through. Do not overcook the chicken. Transfer it to a plate and continue cooking the other chicken breasts. If the skillet becomes too dry, just add in a few more tbsp. of oil when you cook the last two breasts.
- Once all the chicken is cooked, add it back to the skillet, and pour in the sauce. Cook on medium-high heat for about 2-3 minutes, until it slightly thickens. Sprinkle parsley on top and serve!
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