Chicken Piccata Recipe

Prepare chicken

Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs. If thighs are thick, butterfly or pound gently to an even thickness (~1/2 inch) so they cook evenly.

Season both sides of the thighs with kosher salt, black pepper and garlic powder.

Dredge each thigh lightly in the all-purpose flour, shaking off excess. Place dredged pieces on a plate and let rest 5 minutes to set the coating.

Heat a large skillet (preferably stainless steel or cast iron) over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and heat until shimmering but not smoking.

Add the chicken thighs (work in batches if needed to avoid crowding). Sear 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165°F (74°C). Remove chicken to a warm plate and tent with foil.

Lower heat to medium and wipe skillet briefly with a paper towel if there is excessive burned flour residue, leaving fond (browned bits) in the pan.

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet. When butter melts, add the minced shallot and sauté 1-2 minutes until translucent and fragrant.

Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until aromatic (do not brown).

Pour in 1/2 cup dry white wine (or chicken stock) to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon. Simmer 2-3 minutes until the liquid is reduced by about half.

Stir in 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons drained capers, lemon zest and the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Swirl the pan off heat so butter emulsifies into a silky sauce; return to low heat if needed.

Season sauce with 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and adjust salt to taste (remember capers are salty). Add chopped parsley and stir.

Return the seared chicken thighs to the skillet, spooning sauce over each piece. Simmer gently 1-2 minutes to rewarm and meld flavors. Turn off heat and keep warm while finishing pasta.

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add 1 tablespoon salt. Add 8 oz linguini and cook according to package directions until al dente (usually 8-10 minutes). Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.

Add the drained linguini to the skillet with the piccata sauce (off heat). Toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen the sauce and help it coat the pasta (use as much as needed for desired sauciness).

Taste and adjust seasoning. If desired, stir in 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan for creaminess and 1/8–1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes for a hint of heat.

Plate linguini topped with one or two chicken thighs per serving. Spoon additional lemon-butter sauce and capers over the chicken and pasta.

Garnish with extra chopped parsley, a sprinkle of lemon zest, and optional Parmesan. Serve immediately.