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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!
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.
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.
Chicken piccata has capers. So for you caper haters out there, the Francaise version is for you. Chicken Francaise is dredged in flour and egg, whereas chicken piccata is dredged only in flour, so the Francaise has a bit more (delightfully) substantial coating.
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.
If you're trying to lose weight, then chicken breast is the best cut for you. It is the leanest part of the chicken, which means it has the fewest calories but the most protein. For example, chicken breast is ideal for bodybuilders on a cut, since it has the fewest calories.
The best thing to reach for is a dash of quality white wine vinegar mixed with chicken or vegetable stock. The rule of thumb is 1 tablespoon of vinegar per 1 cup of stock. For this chicken piccata, that would be 1/2 cup stock mixed with 1 1/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar.
It happens all the time. The muscle fibers in breast meat denature at lower temperatures and have little to no connective tissue to act as a “backup” to the moisture loss that can occur in the meat itself. Given the frying-then-braising nature of this dish, that tendency to dry out is a recipe for disaster.
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 Marsala has the least carbohydrates per 100 grams. Chicken Piccata has the least sugar per 100 grams. Chicken Francese has the most fiber per 100 grams. Chicken Cordon Bleu has the most protein per 100 grams.
Chicken piccata as we know it doesn't actually seem to have origins in Italy. It's likely an Italian-American invention, a derivative of a couple of different classic Italian cooking techniques, like scaloppine which means “thin slices of meat (such as veal) sautéed or coated with flour and fried”.
Pour white wine, lemon juice, capers, and garlic into the skillet. Bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of food from the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon; cook at a boil until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
½ tray of grilled chicken piccata (Tuscan Kitchen) contains 400 Calories. The macronutrient breakdown is 39% carbs, 32% fat, and 29% protein. This is a good source of protein (50% of your Daily Value).
Chicken breast is low in fat and high in protein. A 100-gram chicken breast contains 165 calories, compared to 206 calories in a 100-gram chicken thigh. Of course, calorie counts vary depending on how the chicken is cooked and whether oils and other seasonings or flavorings are added.
Chicken tenders are primarily made of breast meat. However, given the additional ingredients, like breadcrumbs, that are also used to make them, chicken tenders end up with many more calories than plain chicken breast.
Introduction: My name is Gregorio Kreiger, I am a tender, brainy, enthusiastic, combative, agreeable, gentle, gentle person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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