Skip to Content
Recipes

Traditional Chicken Piccata

The brief story and delicious recipe behind chicken piccata, a classic Italian American dish.

Chicken piccata

Chicken piccata. Photo: Low Country Bella

Chicken Piccata is an Italian American dish that originated in the 1930s. Therefore, it’s not something you will see on menus when visiting Italy. Piccata is not a region, it’s a way of cooking. It is an Italian word meaning larded. Referencing a way of preparing food, it means sliced and sauteed in a sauce containing lemon, butter, and spices. It’s assumed that the creator was most likely Sicilian because the "piquantly flavored" dish contains tart and zesty ingredients, commonly used in Sicilian cuisine.

PSA!! Use light olive oil, which has a higher smoke point; therefore you will not burn the chicken. 

Traditional Chicken Piccata

Traditional Chicken Piccata

Recipe by Low Country Bella
5.0 from 1 vote
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

20

minutes
Cooking time

10

minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 4 chicken breasts

  • 3/4 cup 3/4 all purpose flour

  • 1/2 cup 1/2 dry white wine

  • 1 cup 1 chicken bone broth

  • 2 tbsp 2 capers in brine drained

  • 1 tbsp 1 fresh lemon juice

  • 2 tbsp 2 butter

  • 2 2 -3 tbsp light olive oil

  • Salt and pepper

  • Chopped parsley

Directions

  • Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise so you have thin cutlets. Cover them with a sheet of plastic wrap (cling film) and pound them gently and evenly with a meat mallet or rolling pin until they are around 1/4 inches thick.
  • Season the chicken with salt then dredge each cutlet in flour, making sure to shake off any excess.
  • Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet or frying pan, once hot fry the chicken cutlets in batches for 4 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked all the way through. Place the cooked chicken on a clean plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
  • Turn the heat down low and add 1 tbsp of butter. Once melted add the wine and the broth, then turn the heat to high and whisk the sauce until it starts to thicken slightly (about 5-6 minutes).
  • Add the remaining tbsp of butter, capers and lemon juice. Stir well until the butter has melted. Add the chicken back to the pan. Serve chicken on a nice platter ensuring all the sauce is encompassing the chicken. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @appetitomagazine on Instagram and hashtag it with #italianfoodanddrink

Like this recipe?

Follow @Appetitomagazine on Pinterest

Follow us on Facebook!

Follow us on Facebook

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Appetito

Piccolo Buco Expands to Naperville with Pizza and Italian Favorites

Piccolo Buco brings Roman-inspired pizza and Italian classics to Naperville in partnership with Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants.

September 17, 2025

Bosco Opens in San Francisco with Italian Cooking and Forest Design

Bosco opens in SoMa with chefs Ryan McIlwraith and Kaili Hill serving housemade pastas, wood-fired dishes, and a thoughtful wine and cocktail program.

September 17, 2025

Olive Oil Is Not an Afterthought at Sea on Board Oceania’s Allura

On Oceania’s Allura, Italian dining shines at Toscana, where an olive oil concierge and authentic recipes prove that dining at sea can rival meals on land.

September 16, 2025

Phil Stefani and Chef Art Smith to Lead Vatican Restaurant

Chicago restaurateur Phil Stefani and Chef Art Smith will lead the only dining venue at Borgo Laudato Si’, the Vatican’s historic estate.

September 15, 2025

Stracciatella in Italy: From Soup to Cheese to Gelato

From Rome to Apulia to Bergamo, stracciatella takes shape as a soup, a cheese, and even gelato. Here’s how one word ties three Italian favorites together.

September 15, 2025
See all posts