Gourmet Italian Recipes : Chicken Picatta

Chicken Picatta has to be one of my favorite Italian dishes. There is something about the lemon and butter balance in the lemon butter sauce that keeps me coming back for more. The saltiness of the capers, the tenderness of the chicken, the way the pasta that accompanies it leaves you feeling fulfilled. Mmmmm! It’s just my favorite!

It’s a fabulous dish and I find myself ordering it often when we are out visiting an Italian restaurant.

I figured it was time to learn how to make it at home, and it turns out, it’s pretty easy! There is nothing more rewarding than learning how to make your favorite food at home. And even better, my husband rated my homemade Chicken Picatta an ‘Awesome!’.

Before I take you through the simple steps of making it at home, here’s where the recipe came from.

You must know that I made the following modifications to the recipe:

1. Opted out of using fresh parsley

2. Added mushrooms

3. Added sun dried tomatoes

4. Served with a side of spaghetti

Chicken Picatta Ingredients:

• 2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 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
• 1 package of sliced mushrooms
• 1 handful of sun-dried tomatoes

Tip: When ordering the chicken breasts from the butcher at your local market, you can ask that they filet them for you to make your job easier!

Chicken Picatta Directions:

• Season chicken with salt and pepper.
• Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.
• 
• In a large 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.
• Into the pan add the lemon juice, stock, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and capers.
• 
• Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor.
• 
• Check for seasoning.
• 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.

Serve with your favorite type of pasta!

This at home recipe was easy to make. I was a little nervous about the sauce, as I am with all sauces, but it turned out perfectly! It left me pleasantly satisfied and I will definitely be making it again many times! Next time, I will serve it with a penne or bowtie pasta, rather than a spaghetti.

Cheers my friends!