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Chicken Piccata Recipe that’s lighter aka “skinny” and so easy to make!Perfect on a busy weeknight but also fancy enough to make when you have company over!
TGIF!!!!Is that enough exclamation points for you? 😉
I think I may be a little excited that it’s finally Friday. Woot woot! Every week I think to myself, “Okay, this week is going to be busy but that’s okay because next week will be better.” Every week I think that, guys. Every freaking week! But every week is ALWAYS busy!!
Yesterday I got up really early, skipped my workout and got ready to go. Rushed my boys out the door and carried a ton of food into my 6 year old’s elementary school for a parent meeting that I had to set up (never get stuck in a PTA job you hate, by the way. Take it from me). I carefully cut and placed fruit on a plate and cut pastries and bagels and set out neatly on a pretty plate. Everything looked perfect!
I won’t lie, my friends. I was pissed! All that work (and my own money spent on food because like two moms signed up to help bring food) and it was literally a shortened meeting with only four people who barely touched my beautiful plates of food. UGH!
Needless to say, the meeting put a little kink in my morning. But that’s okay. Because I made the best dinner EVER. Have you ever made Chicken Piccata before? It sounds super fancy, right?
But guess what? It’s reallyeasy to make! It’s so simple, you can make it on a busy weeknight but also fancy enough to make when you have company over. And it’s a skinny version, which makes it even better!
Chances are if you like Italian food, you’ve either had or heard of a Chicken Piccata recipe. Sometimes I tend to stay away from fancy sounding meals because I think they’re going to be difficult to make. LikeChicken CacciatoreorChili Rellenos. Sounds intimidating, right? But names can be deceiving!
Piccata is actually a method of preparing food. Basically meat is sliced (or pounded), coated, sautéed and served in a sauce. Veal piccata originated in Italy and when the Americans picked up on the dish, chickenwas used in place of the veal and thus the chicken piccata recipe was born.?
This is such an easy dinner. In fact, I’ve made it twice this week and my family devoured it! I made it one weeknight for a fancier meal for my husband and I and then during the week I made a bigger portion for my whole family. It’s made in one pan and is bursting with lemony, buttery, creamy flavor. So much flavor in every bite of tender chicken!
This "Skinny" Chicken Piccata is easy enough to make on a busy weeknight but also fancy enough to make when you have company over!
Pound chicken cutlets and season with salt and pepper. Roll in flour and shake off excess.
Heat oil in pan. Brown chicken on both sides over medium heat. Remove to a plate when brown, set aside.
Pull pan off the heat and add in minced garlic. Stir. Don't burn the garlic!
When fragrant, add chicken broth and place pan back on heat. Scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Heat to a light boil and let sauce cook until reduced a bit.
Add lemon juice and capers. Simmer again until sauce is reduced some and slightly thickened.
Add butter and melt. Add chicken and any liquid on plate. Simmer together over a medium-low heat until sauce is to thickness desired. Pull off heat. Lightly stir in yogurt (can also skip this step and eat without adding yogurt).
Serve chicken alone or with angel hair pasta (I used the whole wheat kind) with some lemon slices on the side and parsley sprinkled over the top. Enjoy!
How many calories are in Chicken Piccata? Typical chicken piccata dishes have around 500-600 calories. This lightened up version has just 290 calories. The main difference the calories and fat are lower is that there is significantly less butter and oil used.
Piccata refers to a sauce (made with lemon, capers, broth, and butter) that's often partnered with chicken, while scallopini refers to the method for preparing the chicken. Chicken scallopini can be finished with piccata sauce, or another sauce.
You may be wondering what the difference is between this recipe and Chicken Francese. While they are somewhat similar, in Chicken Francese, the cutlets are dipped into flour and then eggs.Chicken Piccata cutlets are dipped in flour only and the recipe calls for capers and cream. They are both easy and good!
What Is Chicken Piccata? Chicken piccata is nothing more than chicken breast cutlets, dredged in flour, browned, and served with a sauce of butter, lemon juice, capers, and either stock or white wine.
A single serving of Chicken Piccata typically contains about 200-350 calories, with 20-30 grams of protein, making it a great choice for those managing calorie intake while seeking to meet their protein needs. It's relatively low in fat, with only 10-15 grams per serving, of which a minimal amount is saturated fat.
Chicken Piccata has the least calories per 100 grams. Chicken Piccata with Artichoke Hearts has the least total fat per 100 grams. Chicken Piccata has the least saturated fat per 100 grams. Chicken Francese has the least sodium per 100 grams.
Piccata, though, is an Italian word meaning larded. It seems to be a translation of the French word pique (sharp, as in piquant). When used in a reference to a way of preparing food (particularly meat or fish) it means sliced and sauteed in a sauce containing lemon, butter, and spices.
I also found the whole lemon slices included in many traditional recipes left my sauce with a bitter aftertaste from the lemon's pith. To avoid this, but maintain the acidic brightness this dish depends on, I added a bit of white wine to the sauce instead of lemon slices.
“Francese and piccata are very similar. The difference between the two is for Francese, the chicken breast is first dipped in flour, then into a beaten egg mixture, before being cooked. For piccata, the chicken is first dipped in egg and then in flour.
In addition to Sauvignon Blanc, other white wines with similar characteristics can also complement chicken picatta wonderfully. Look for wines such as Pinot Grigio, Vermentino, or Albariño, all of which boast crisp acidity and citrusy flavors that marry well with the dish's bold, bright flavors.
Chicken Piccata can be partially made ahead to save time. You can bread the chicken and refrigerate it for up to 4 hours before cooking. However, for the best texture and flavor, I recommend cooking the chicken and preparing the sauce right before serving.
Introduction: My name is Neely Ledner, I am a bright, determined, beautiful, adventurous, adventurous, spotless, calm person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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