Chicken Piccata, Rebuilt
We rebuilt Chicken Piccata, making it stronger, crispier, lighter, more flavorful than ever before. They said it couldn’t be done. But here it is: buttermilk-brined chicken, a cheesy crust, and a buttery lemon-caper pan sauce and garlicky pasta!!
Do not forget to check out my Chefs Tips and Wine Pairings sections below!
You love the classic. Now experience the best Chicken Piccata you will have – yep, not kidding!
Start with a bed of garlic pasta. Add buttermilk-brined chicken dredged in Parmesan flour for the ultimate crispy crust.
Finally, drizzle over a glossy lemon-caper pan sauce. Rich yet punchy. Crunchy yet creamy. Traditional yet innovative. It’s the Piccata you love, rebuilt to become the Piccata you crave.
The Recipe is next!
But remember, you can scroll past the recipe to learn a bunch more about my Chicken Piccata, Rebuilt. Plus wine parings!! The recipe is listed again at the end – so you don’t have to come all the way back up here!! Unless you want to 🙂
Chicken Piccata, Rebuilt
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- butterflied and halved into 4 cutlets
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, for marinade
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, for marinade
- Kosher salt and black pepper, for seasoning
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, optional
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
For the Sauce:
- 1 shallot, finely minced
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
- 2 to 3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and patted dry
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock, to be reduced by half
- Juice of 1 lemon, approximately 2 tablespoons
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cubed—for mounting
- 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
- Optional: 2 to 4 lemon slices, charred in a dry skillet or with a torch (for garnish)
Emergency Slurry (optional backup):
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon cold water
Garlic Butter Pasta (Side):
- 8 ounces angel hair pasta, or similar thin pasta
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3/4 cup reserved pasta water, from boiling pasta
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- Optional garnish: fresh parsley, grated Parmesan, or toasted breadcrumbs
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken
- Butterfly and halve the chicken breasts to form 4 cutlets.
- In a bowl, mix buttermilk and lemon juice. Submerge chicken and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Prepare the Dredge
- In a shallow dish, combine flour, Parmesan, Italian seasoning (if using), 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper.
Remove and Prep the Chicken
- Remove chicken from marinade.
- Pat each piece thoroughly dry with paper towels.
- Dredge in the seasoned flour mixture, shaking off excess.
- Let rest 5 to 10 minutes on a wire rack.
Sear the Chicken
- Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Sear cutlets for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden and crisp.
- Transfer to a wire rack or plate to rest. Do not return chicken to the sauce.
Build the Sauce
- Discard excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan.
- Sauté shallots, garlic, and capers over medium-low heat until aromatic and softened (1 to 2 minutes).
- Stir in anchovy paste and cook 30 seconds more.
- Deglaze with white wine, scraping fond. Simmer 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add chicken stock and reduce by half over medium heat, about 5 to 7 minutes, until sauce coats the back of a spoon.
Finish the Sauce
- Remove from heat or reduce to lowest setting.
- Add lemon juice.
- Whisk in cold butter cubes one at a time until sauce is emulsified and glossy.
- Taste and adjust seasoning.
- If needed, stir in slurry and simmer briefly to thicken.
Cook Pasta
- Boil pasta in well-salted water until just al dente.
- In a skillet, lightly toast garlic in olive oil and butter until golden.
- Add drained pasta and reserved pasta water. Toss until emulsified and coated.
- Season to taste and finish with parsley and Parmesan.
Plate and Serve
- Plate pasta as a base or alongside.
- Lay rested chicken cutlets on top.
- Spoon sauce over the chicken, not beneath it, preserving crust.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and optional charred lemon slices or toasted breadcrumbs.
Lots of good stuff below!
Don’t rush off to the oven just yet—there’s plenty more to help you nail this Chicken Piccata, Rebuilt—from coaxing out maximum umami in your ragù to building a perfectly tender yet toothsome pasta layer. And scoring those coveted crispy edges? YEP!! Curious how to season your ricotta so it flys on it’s own? Or where to tuck in the anchovy paste for secret depth? Hang tight: chef’s tips, make‑ahead hacks, wine pairings, and more are coming up—and you’ll find the full recipe again at the end so you can jump right back when you’re ready to bake!
Why this works
- The Juicy Tang of Buttermilk: Your chicken will be tender, acidic, juicy, and tangy with even a quick soak.
- Parmesan in the Dredge: Big flavor. Bigger texture. You get umami with crispiness in the pan. Yum.
- No Mushy Chicken: Pairing a silky sauce with crunchy chicken requires some finesse. For instance, you’ll never put the sauce under the chicken, and you won’t combine until the very end.
- Anchovy Paste is Your Umami Secret: Combined with the lemon and wine, this helps form the flavor core of the meal. And no, you won’t get a fishy aftertaste.
- Cold Butter Mounting for a Silky Sauce: Finishing with cold butter (off heat) gives the sauce that glossy, restaurant-style finish.
- Capers Wake Things Up: These explode in bright, salty pops throughout the dish. That keeps the sauce from enveloping everything in its weight (though the lemon makes sure nothing is too heavy to begin with).
- Garlic Butter Pasta Is Not Optional: This recipe has you drizzling emulsified garlic oil on the pasta. Just read that sentence a couple of times and let it sink it.
How to make Chicken Piccata, Rebuilt
Step 1: Prep the Chicken + Pasta
- Marinate the Chicken: Mix buttermilk, lemon juice, kosher salt, and pepper in a bowl. Add chicken breasts and marinate for at least 30 minutes (up to 8 hours for best texture).
- Dredge and Dry: Pat chicken dry. Dredge in seasoned flour with finely grated Parmesan, optional Italian herbs, and garlic powder. Shake off excess.
- Cook Pasta: Boil salted water, cook pasta until al dente, and reserve some pasta water. Toss cooked pasta with butter, olive oil, garlic, and pasta water to coat.
Step 2: Crisp the Chicken, Build the Sauce
- Pan-Fry Chicken: Heat olive oil and butter in a skillet until shimmering. Sear chicken until golden and crisp, about 4–5 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack and let rest.
- Sauté + Deglaze: In the same pan, cook shallots and garlic until fragrant. Stir in anchovy paste and capers. Deglaze with white wine, reduce slightly, then add chicken stock and simmer.
- Mount the Sauce: Kill the heat. Whisk in cold butter to emulsify. Taste and adjust salt, acid, or umami. Slurry is your emergency plan if the sauce won’t tighten.
Step 3: Finish + Serve
- Plate: Add pasta to the plate. Place crispy chicken on top or to the side.
- Sauce: Spoon the glossy pan sauce over the chicken.
- Garnish: Finish with fresh parsley, cracked pepper, and optional charred lemon slices.
Take It to the Next Level
Char Your Lemons: Sear a few lemon slices in a dry skillet or hit them with a torch. The caramelized edge brings a smoky-sweet contrast that sings against the bright sauce.
Use Fresh Pasta: Swap in fresh angel hair or tagliolini for a tender, silky bite that catches every bit of garlic butter.
Add a Crunch Element: Toasted breadcrumbs, crushed fried capers, or even crispy shallots on top give it that chef-y texture play.
Swap in Champagne Vinegar: Just a tiny splash in the sauce gives extra brightness and sharpens the acid. It’s a small thing that makes a big difference.
Infuse the Oil: Sauté a strip of lemon peel or a sprig of thyme in the butter/oil blend before searing the chicken. Subtle aromatics, major payoff.
Double Down on Cheese: Mix a bit of grated Pecorino into the pasta finish for a saltier, sharper edge that complements the sauce.
Optional Pan Sauce Booster: If your sauce needs just a little more oomph, finish with a splash of white vermouth or a dab of Dijon. Trust your palate.
Serve it Like a Chef: Don’t drown the chicken. Slice it on the bias, layer it over the pasta, and spoon the sauce across like you mean it.
Chefs tips
Dry That Chicken Well: So many steps in this recipe are all about preserving the chicken’s crispiness. After marinating it in buttermilk, you have to pat it bone-dry to prevent soggy crusts.
Let the Dredge Set: After coating, rest the chicken on a rack for 5–10 minutes. That short rest helps the flour cling during searing.
Don’t Rush the Crust: To build a truly great crust, hit it with medium-high heat and let it sit there for a few minutes. You want a truly golden crust before flipping. Give it time. Take a breath. Set a timer if you have to. Just don’t flip it early!
Deglaze with the Good Stuff: For some reason, people often cook with wine that they’d never drink on its own. Sure, the other ingredients will mask some issues with cheap wine, but it seems the better plan is to deglaze with a wine you don’t need to hide.
Cook Shallots Before Garlic: Garlic burns fast, and science has yet to discover a way to unburn it. So, only add after the shallots are soft. That sets their timelines just right.
Melt Butter Off Heat: For a smooth, emulsified finish, swirl in cold butter cubes with the heat off. Otherwise, it breaks and goes greasy.
Don’t Boil the Miso (if using): To pump up the umami, miso is an incredible choice. Just don’t overly heat it. That breaks down much of the flavor.
Use Pasta Water Wisely: You’ll be using some of the water you boil your pasta in, because this “pasta water” is full of starch. Make sure to save enough when draining your pasta.Save the Sauce for Last: It should go on right before serving. That way it never reduces the crispiness of your chicken.
Skip ahead Jump to Recipe
Key Ingredients
Buttermilk: This gives you acid that tenderizes the chicken. But that’s true of any acidic liquid. The reason we use buttermilk is for that distinctive tang that raises flavor up from the sauce, which makes it essential for this dish.
Parmesan (in the dredge): This cheese is nutty and savory, yes. It also crisps in the pan, offering a much more complex texture and contrast than a cheese that melts away into your sauce.
Anchovy Paste: I promise you won’t taste anchovy. At the amounts the recipe calls for, you’ll get a massive umami bomb and tons of mysterious flavor. This gives your dish the depth and surprise that epitomizes the idea of the “secret ingredient.”
Capers: Bursting with brine, these lighten the flavor and peek out over the fat of the sauce.
Dry White Wine: Adds acidity and lifts the fond. Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio both play well with lemon and capers.
Cold Butter (for finishing): The texture of your sauce will turn silky smooth thanks to cold butter. Pro tip: The temperature really does matter here.
Charred Lemon (optional garnish): Caramelized sweetness and citrusy sourness. Plus, it makes ‘em ask, “What’s in this?”
Garlic (in the pasta, not the sauce): A little goes a long way here. We’ll keep it out of the sauce to preserve its special balance.
Wine Pairings
Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi (Marche, Italy)
Why it Works: This crisp Italian white matches the lemon and caper tang, while its bitter almond finish adds nuance to the anchovy-spiked sauce. Light salinity mirrors the sea-kissed elements of the dish.
Tasting Notes: Lemon oil, almond skin, sea salt, green herbs
Suggested Label: Bucci Verdicchio Classico Superiore
Etna Bianco (Sicily, Italy)
Why it Works: From volcanic soils, Etna Bianco brings a flinty edge and restrained stone fruit that elevate the sauce’s savory depth without overwhelming the chicken’s crisp crust.
Tasting Notes: White peach, wet stone, fennel, lemon zest
Suggested Label: Benanti Etna Bianco
Gavi di Gavi (Piedmont, Italy)
Why it Works: With clean acidity and subtle pear and citrus notes, Gavi adds brightness while remaining delicate enough to highlight the dish’s buttery balance and herbs.
Tasting Notes: White grapefruit, pear skin, wildflowers, hazelnut
Suggested Label: La Scolca “Black Label” Gavi dei Gavi
White Rhône Blend (France)
Why it Works: A fuller-bodied white (like Grenache Blanc and Roussanne) adds warmth and softness, complementing the shallot, anchovy, and butter without stealing the spotlight.
Tasting Notes: Honeyed pear, chamomile, lemon balm, Provençal herbs
Suggested Label: Famille Perrin Côtes du Rhône Réserve Blanc
Crémant de Loire (France)
Why it Works: Elegant bubbles refresh the palate with each bite. Its light brioche notes and vibrant citrus uplift the sauce while keeping your taste buds on point.
Tasting Notes: Green apple, almond croissant, lemon peel, chalk
Suggested Label: Langlois-Château Crémant de Loire Brut
Faq’s
Yes, as long as they are boneless. The upside and downside of thighs is their higher fat content. You’ll need to trim some and pound them flat for cooking. Thighs will make the overall dish much juicier and (for many) tastier.
You can skip it if you really don’t have the time, just don’t think things will be the same. Buttermilk has high acidity and strong flavor. That means you’ll really develop the protein and make it absolutely melt-in-your-mouth delicious. But if that’s not your thing, you can skip it.
You still have a few options. Remember, the white wine makes a dish tangy, tart, and sweet. Use a splash of chicken stock with a teaspoon of white wine vinegar or lemon juice. For a really fun option, try a strong ginger beer or ginger ale.
Ah, the eternal question. Best to stick to the basics. Don’t return the chicken to the sauce. Let it rest separately, then plate and spoon the sauce over—never under.
You can prep most of it ahead of time. You’ll just want to wait to cook the chicken, because letting it sit in the fridge will diminish its crispiness. If you has freshly cooked chicken, you can add the sauce on and serve with confidence.
Any thin noodle will give you the right ratio here. And then noodles typically give you a high sauce-to-noodle ratio. For this reason, the best option is probably angel hair.
Yes, especially if you run into issues with the sauce structure. You want it to coat a spoon.
Probably, but why would you? Trust me, it won’t make the dish taste like anchovies. Instead, it delivers a ton of je ne sais quoi. If you skip it (due to a grave allergy, let’s say), add a tiny splash of soy sauce or miso at the end to replace some of that depth.
Equipment Needed for Chicken Piccata, Rebuilt
Large Skillet: For searing and sauce-making. Go stainless steel or cast iron so that it really holds heat well.
Tongs: For flipping cutlets.
Fine Mesh Strainer (optional): For straining sauce just before mounting butter.
Microplane or Fine Grater: For lemon zest and Parmesan.
Sauce Whisk or Small Silicone Whisk: For emulsifying the butter.
Meat Mallet or Rolling Pin: For flattening cutlets.
Wire Rack: For resting chicken post-sear.
Medium Pot for Pasta: For cooking noodles.
Slotted Spoon or Spider: For transferring.
Serving Platter or Pasta Bowls: For serving. I suggest you go shallow and wide.
Chicken Piccata, Rebuilt
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- butterflied and halved into 4 cutlets
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, for marinade
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, for marinade
- Kosher salt and black pepper, for seasoning
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, optional
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
For the Sauce:
- 1 shallot, finely minced
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
- 2 to 3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and patted dry
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock, to be reduced by half
- Juice of 1 lemon, approximately 2 tablespoons
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cubed—for mounting
- 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
- Optional: 2 to 4 lemon slices, charred in a dry skillet or with a torch (for garnish)
Emergency Slurry (optional backup):
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon cold water
Garlic Butter Pasta (Side):
- 8 ounces angel hair pasta, or similar thin pasta
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3/4 cup reserved pasta water, from boiling pasta
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- Optional garnish: fresh parsley, grated Parmesan, or toasted breadcrumbs
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken
- Butterfly and halve the chicken breasts to form 4 cutlets.
- In a bowl, mix buttermilk and lemon juice. Submerge chicken and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Prepare the Dredge
- In a shallow dish, combine flour, Parmesan, Italian seasoning (if using), 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper.
Remove and Prep the Chicken
- Remove chicken from marinade.
- Pat each piece thoroughly dry with paper towels.
- Dredge in the seasoned flour mixture, shaking off excess.
- Let rest 5 to 10 minutes on a wire rack.
Sear the Chicken
- Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Sear cutlets for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden and crisp.
- Transfer to a wire rack or plate to rest. Do not return chicken to the sauce.
Build the Sauce
- Discard excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan.
- Sauté shallots, garlic, and capers over medium-low heat until aromatic and softened (1 to 2 minutes).
- Stir in anchovy paste and cook 30 seconds more.
- Deglaze with white wine, scraping fond. Simmer 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add chicken stock and reduce by half over medium heat, about 5 to 7 minutes, until sauce coats the back of a spoon.
Finish the Sauce
- Remove from heat or reduce to lowest setting.
- Add lemon juice.
- Whisk in cold butter cubes one at a time until sauce is emulsified and glossy.
- Taste and adjust seasoning.
- If needed, stir in slurry and simmer briefly to thicken.
Cook Pasta
- Boil pasta in well-salted water until just al dente.
- In a skillet, lightly toast garlic in olive oil and butter until golden.
- Add drained pasta and reserved pasta water. Toss until emulsified and coated.
- Season to taste and finish with parsley and Parmesan.
Plate and Serve
- Plate pasta as a base or alongside.
- Lay rested chicken cutlets on top.
- Spoon sauce over the chicken, not beneath it, preserving crust.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and optional charred lemon slices or toasted breadcrumbs.