Baked Chicken Piccata
Well smack my hinny and call me Shirley, because I am now a caper lover! Never thought I’d see the day. These little oddities turned my world upside down and I couldn’t be more pleased about it.
Have you had much experience with capers? Okay good, it’s not just me then. Whew. They always struck me as these odd little balls of green, that for some reason left me imagining them as pits to olives that were repurposed for some sad reason that I never could deduce. I know, I know – weirdo, right here! But now, doors have been flung open, light is shining again and I now have a new favorite dish. Tune in to the end of this post and see the carnage I waged on this plate of piccata.
AND – the best part was that this was completely simplified, nee healthy, because it was baked instead of traditionally fried!! Full belly and a healthy meal? Win Win.
This dish should be renamed Charlie Sheen for how much winning it’s doing. No joke.
I began by using the techniques I picked up from the America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook. Their healthified chicken parm is amazeballs. Instead of any frying, the chicken was breaded in toasted panko and baked quickly – locking in the juices and still giving the ingestee all the crunch and none of the guilt that goes with the traditional version.
With 1 1/2 cup panko at my disposal, it was toasted over medium high heat in a non-stick skillet with 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Before.

After.
Next, 1 chicken breast was filleted into two and pounded out with the flat side of a meat tenderizer. The two halves should be about 1/2″ thick and as even as possible to ensure even baking. You wouldn’t want tough thin ends and an underdone thick section? Blah!

Into three bowls, the toasted panko went, along with 1 cup flour into another bowl and 1 whisked egg into the last.
Dredge each chicken breast in flour, then wash in egg and lastly – dip and coat in toasted panko.

Plop onto a non-stick coated broiling pan and bake for 10 minutes or until the chicken reaches 160 degrees.

Next? The Sauce. Everything is better with sauce. Mince you garlic, slice your lemons and sources yourself some capers. Mmmm, capers.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a non stick skillet, yes you can even use the one you toasted your panko crumbs in, I did. Once heated, pour in your garlic and stir until it starts to waft that glorious garlic smell all around your face. Then stir in the red pepper flakes, capers, sliced lemons, lemon juice and chicken broth. Stir and turn up the heat until it begins to simmer. Reduce the liquid by about one half.
At the same time cook your thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta according to the package directions.

Once the liquid in your skillet has reduced, in a small ramekin or bowl mix together your softened butter and flour. This will be your thickening agent for your sauce. Whisk that baby into the sauce and bring to a heavy simmer all whist stirring to ensure a proper thickening. Remove from heat.
By now, hopefully pasta is drained, your chicken is done – it’s time to plate and devour!
Serve yourself up a hearty dose of pasta, lay one chicken breast on top and pour over the sauce. Garnish it with a couple extra sliced lemons, a little basil and go to town.
Before:

After:

Winning.
Print
Baked Chicken Piccata
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
All the best that chicken piccata has to offer, but baked. Not fried.
Ingredients
- 1 whole Chicken Breasts
- 1 1/2 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil, divided
- 1 whole egg, whisked
- 1 cup Flour, Plus 1 1/2 tablespoon
- 4 ounces Whole Wheat Thin Spaghetti
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp Red Chili Flakes
- 1 Tbsp Capers
- 1 whole Lemon, juiced
- 1 whole Lemon, sliced thinly
- 1 1/2 cup Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth
- 1 Tbsp Butter, softened
- Canola Oil Spray
Instructions
Chicken:
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- In non-stick skillet over medium heat, heat up 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil.
- Pour in panko bread crumbs and toast by stirring with wooden spoon until they develop a golden brown color. Pour into shallow bowl or rimmed plate and allow to cool.
- In two other separate bowls, place 1 cup flour and 1 whisked egg. These will be the coatings for your chicken.
- Fillet chicken breast into two halves. With the flat side of a meat tenderizer, flatten chicken breast pieces until they are of even thickness, about 1/2″ thick.
- Dredge each piece in flour, covering thoroughly. Then dip into egg wash, coating thoroughly. Then transfer and coat with toasted panko crumbs. Place onto a non-stick spray coated baking pan. Repeat with other chicken breast.
- Bake for about 10 minutes at 450 degrees or until chicken breast registers 160 degrees.
- Remove from oven and set aside.
Pasta:
- In medium/large sauce pan, heat water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.
- Drain and cover to keep warm until use.
Sauce:
- In large non-stick skillet heat remaining olive oil over medium heat.
- Add in garlic until it becomes aromatic, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in chili pepper flakes, lemon juice, lemon slices, chicken broth, and capers. Stir and reduce by about one half. Increase heat if necessary to promote reduction.
- When the liquid is reduced, in small ramekin stir together 1 1/2 tablespoon of flour and softened butter. This will create a thickening agent for the sauce.
- Whisk into reduced sauce pan and bring to a boil. Continue to stir until sauce has thickened. Remove from heat.
Final Assembly:
- When chicken has baked and is golden brown, sauce is thickened and spaghetti is done cooking, plate spaghetti, resting one chicken breast on top and cover with sauce.
- Garnish with sliced lemon and basil. Devour while warm.
Notes
Adapted from The Culinary Chronicles Chicken Piccata and Angel Hair Pasta and America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Chicken Parmesan.
Keywords: healthy chicken piccata, chicken piccata pasta, lemon chicken piccata
I just had chicken piccatta this weekend at FBF and omg it was so good and the fact that you simplified this is even better. I want to make it now!! I’ve never worked with capers either so perfect time to 🙂 LOVE this megan!
MmmmMMMMmm! I love capers. Their saltiness just makes my mouth water. Loving this!
Well this looks very adult. And tasty. De-lish, my dear.
My dad used to make chicken or veal picatta for my mom’s birthday every year.
Yes, you read that right: EVERY YEAR.
Oh man.
Also (I know it’s not AS healthy, or cheap) Maggiano’s in Bellevue makes a mean chicken picatta.
PS: it’s a shame that I can’t spell piccatta on the first try. Or the second. ::sigh::
Chicken piccatta is one of my all-time favorite meals. I’ve been trying to eat healthier lately, so THANK YOU for this awesome recipe! I can’t wait to try it!! 🙂
This looks great. Haven’t found a piccata recipe that I’m totally in love with, so I’m looking forward to trying this one!
L-O-V-E chicken piccata, but I’ve never thought to bake it. I’m so trying this one. Lemons with capers is one of my favorite flavor combinations. I can’t believe you shunned them for so long. They are lovely, especially in a dish like this. My sister also likes to include thinly sliced mushrooms in her piccata sauce. She browns them with the garlic. Just wondering… if it’s healthier because it’s baked, can I eat twice as much? 🙂
THis is one of my favorite dinners! I love that you have baked this!!
This looks wonderful! I love chicken piccata
One of my favorite dishes! I love this spin. I’m going to HAVE to try it this weekend!
This looks great. I’m going to have to try it. Love the breading with the panko. Great pictures. 🙂
Love love love this, can’t wait to try!
Love this idea!
They’re aren’t many foods in ball form I don’t like and capers fit that bill, love them! I made quinoa patties with them awhile back that were inspired by chicken piccata actually. My plate would’ve looked the same if that was in front of me 😉
Love how you simplified this, and I am a capers fan! Can’t wait to give this a try!
We always have a jar of capers in the fridge and haven’t had chicken piccata in quite some time, so this is on my “to make” list!
I’m so in love with chicken piccata! I’ve never seen it crispy before, I love this. LOVE.
Your blog always makes me hungry!! You post the best food, ever.
Piccata is my FAVORITE! I love love love it! This looks great Megan!
I love salty anything, so I’ve always been a caper lover. Love this lightened up version – definitely need to try it!
I LOVE chicken piccata but I have yet to try a healthified baked version. Will have to make this soon!
This could be dinner tonight, only because I’d feel weird having it for breakfast. That chicken looks so crispy I want to die. And yes, capers are life-changing 🙂
I totally know what you mean about capers!! Love how the chicken is baked and not pan fried! #winning! 😉
Help!! I made it and it came out bitter! It may be the lemons I used or something. Any ideas on how I can fix it the sauce? I made a double batch. I can see the potential it has 🙂
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You can’t go wrong with chicken, lemon, and panko! Sounds delish!
Apparently I need to buy some capers! This looks delicious. Healthy, and spring like. I am pinning this now!
I LOVE Chicken Piccata. I have made it a few ways before but never baked. I definitely need to try this. Looks amazing! 🙂
OMG….I’m pinning this recipe cause I’m definitely making this dish over the weekend. Love it!! Jackie
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I have never had capers, and they freak me out a little lol. I just have no idea what to expect from them. Maybe one of these days I’ll find a reason to give them a try :)(like this recipe)
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Only 1 tbsp of capers? No way, not me-I use a whole small jar of those little fella’s!!
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I just made this tonight for friends. There were six of us so I used six pieces of chicken but I did not make quite enough of the sauce. Make sure your sauce does not reduce down too much. Everyone loved it. it was a big hit.
Dawn, I’m so glad that this was a hit with you and your friends. Sorry the sauce didn’t make quite enough – next time, double the sauce recipe – because I think that more sauce is ALWAYS a good idea 🙂 Thanks so much for letting me know you enjoyed it 🙂 Megan
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Is there anyway you could post the nutritional information for this dish minus the spaghetti 🙂
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Sounds yummy! One suggestion though, don’t forget a dry white wine for the sauce or for calorie counters, a little white wine vinegar (not sure how much though). Trust me, it just isn’t the same without it. I think you’ll love it. My ratio is 1/3 c. juice, 1/2 c. broth and 1/2 c. wine. It is just delicious! I love the panko idea. MUST try!
I am going to be making this tomorrow. Question. You end your directions with “garnish with lemon and basil” yet I do not see basil listed under your ingredients. I do see lemon slices listed. When you say garnish, I assume it’s not for consumption? You do instruct to cook the lemon slices so that will add to the flavor of the meal, but nothing about the basil being cooked so I assume that’s strictly presentation?
Yes the basil is strictly for presentation. I’ll make a note of it! Sorry for any confusion!