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This dish doesn't look like much. But it's amazing!
Wow. Can I just say wow? One of my most favorite meals ever is the chicken piccata dish at California Pizza Kitchen. I know weird right? You're probably asking yourself 1) "why did she order pasta at a hugely famous pizza place...?" and then 2) "why is she so obsessed with this chicken piccata....?"
Well. Let me just tell you.
The CPK chicken piccata is smooth, creamy, capery, and LEMONY. It is like comfort food, without all the butter and food baby feeling. Because it's lemony, this dish is lighter, savory, and refreshing. I love using lemons in dishes, but I have found it can be hard to make a dish taste just right with them. Often lemon dishes are too lemony and tart, or not lemony enough and too bland. So, when I tasted the CPK dish, it was heaven at first bite. And thus began my recipe search. Because really, who has $16 to blow at CPK when they are a poor married college student? I sure as heck don't! So I had to find a recipe that tasted just like this dish. I just had to. But unfortunately, most of the chicken piccata dishes I came across were a bust. But this dish, this dish I came across (on Pinterest, of course), is the holy grail of all chicken picatta. This, is amazing.
Lemon Chicken Piccata with Capers
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thinly sliced chicken cutlets
- ½ c. flour + 1 heaped teaspoon, divided
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tbsp. butter, divided
- ¼ c. yellow onion, diced
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced or crushed with a garlic press
- ¼ c. white wine
- 1½ c. chicken stock or broth
- 2 lemons
- ¼ c. brined capers, drained
- salt + pepper
- 12 oz. whole wheat angel hair noodles
Directions
Add ½ c. flour to a shallow bowl. Butterfly the chicken by slicing each breast in half horizontally. Place in between 2 sheets of parchment paper (or plastic wrap). Gently pound with a meat mallet to about ½ inch thick. *If using thinly sliced chicken cutlets, skip this step. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in flour shaking off any excess.
In a large skillet, warm the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the chicken and brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Work in batches if necessary. Remove the chicken to a plate an cover with foil to keep warm.
Add the diced onion to the pan; if it seems a bit dry, add a splash of olive oil. Saute until soft, but not colored, about 2 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. To thicken the sauce, add 1 tablespoon of flour and whisk well to dissolve any lumps until the sauce is slightly thickened. Reduce to a simmer and stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter.
Add the juice of an entire lemon and leave the leftover rhine in the sauce to cook. Sprinkle in the capers. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan. Bring to a simmer and cover until noodles are finished. Taste the sauce; season with extra lemon juice, salt and pepper if desired.
Bring water to a boil in a separate pot. Add 12 oz. angel hair noodles and a dash of olive oil. Stir immediately. Let boil for 8 minutes until al dente. Drain and dish out onto plates. Serve the chicken on top of whole wheat pasta, pouring leftover sauce on top, and garnishing with lemon slices and extra capers if desired.
Eat warm and enjoy!