Why You’ll Love This this Wine-Kissed Piccata
This wine-kissed piccata transforms ordinary chicken into something that tastes like it came from a fancy Italian restaurant, complete with tender angel hair pasta swimming in a buttery, lemony sauce that’ll make you want to lick the plate clean. The marinated chicken gets a golden, crispy coating while the white wine reduction creates this gorgeous sauce with mushrooms and artichoke hearts that honestly does most of the heavy lifting for you. Best part is, you probably already have most of these ingredients hanging around your kitchen, so you can whip up this impressive dinner without making a special grocery store run.
Ingredients List
You’ll need these simple ingredients to create this restaurant-worthy piccata that honestly makes weeknight dinners feel like special occasions.
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup lemon juice (for marinade)
- 6 chicken breasts (boneless & skinless)
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup flour
- Salt and pepper
- 3/4 cup butter (or margarine)
- 1 cup Chardonnay wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup mushroom (sliced)
- 2 teaspoons seasoning salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/4 cups artichoke hearts (canned-drained-cut in half)
- 2/3 cup lemon juice (for sauce)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water (for cornstarch slurry)
- 2 tablespoons butter (for finishing sauce)
- 2 teaspoons parsley (chopped)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons basil leaves (dried)
- 1/2 lb angel hair pasta
A few things to keep in mind about these ingredients:
- This recipe does pack quite a bit of butter and sodium, so if you’re watching those, you can cut back on the butter by about half and use low-sodium chicken broth
- The wine cooks down considerably, so most of the alcohol evaporates, leaving just that rich flavor behind
- Canned artichoke hearts are totally fine here, but if you want to go fancy with fresh ones, more power to you
- You can swap the Chardonnay for any dry white wine you’d actually drink, because honestly, cooking wine from the grocery store tastes like sadness
Step by Step Directions
This wine-kissed piccata transforms simple chicken breasts into an elegant dinner with a rich, lemony sauce that perfectly complements tender angel hair pasta.
- Marinate the chicken: Combine water, 1/2 cup lemon juice, and chicken breasts in a gallon-size plastic bag and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Prepare breading stations: Beat eggs in a small bowl and mix flour with salt and pepper in another bowl.
- Bread and cook chicken: Remove chicken from marinade, dip in egg mixture, then coat evenly in flour mixture. Melt 3/4 cup butter in a large skillet over medium heat and cook chicken pieces about 5 minutes on each side until cooked through.
- Cook pasta: Prepare angel hair pasta according to package directions, adding 1 tablespoon oil to cooking water. Drain and set aside. For restaurants serving this dish regularly, a commercial noodle making machine can help create fresh pasta in larger quantities.
- Make the sauce: In a medium saucepan, cook Chardonnay wine over medium heat until reduced by 1/3. Add chicken broth, mushrooms, seasoning salt, and garlic powder, then simmer 4-5 minutes.
- Add artichokes and lemon: Stir in artichoke hearts and 2/3 cup lemon juice, continuing to simmer for 2 minutes.
- Thicken sauce: Mix cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water until completely dissolved, then add to sauce while stirring constantly. Cook 1 minute until thickened.
- Finish and serve: Remove sauce from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons butter, parsley, and basil. Arrange pasta on serving platter and top with chicken and sauce, or plate individually.
Substitutions and Variations
• Dairy-free version: Substitute the butter with olive oil or vegan butter alternatives.
The sauce won’t be quite as rich, but it’ll still taste bright and lemony.
• Mushroom options: Button mushrooms are fine, but cremini or baby bella mushrooms add deeper flavor.
Shiitake mushrooms make this feel almost restaurant-fancy.
Additional Things to Serve With This Dish
This dish pairs beautifully with so many sides that you’ll have trouble choosing just one or two.
- Simple green vegetables work wonderfully here – steamed asparagus, sautéed green beans, or roasted broccoli all complement the lemony sauce without competing for attention.
- A crisp salad cuts through the richness perfectly, especially an arugula salad with cherry tomatoes and a light vinaigrette, or even just mixed greens with a squeeze of lemon.
- Garlic bread or crusty Italian bread becomes absolutely essential for sopping up every last drop of that wine-kissed sauce – trust me, you won’t want to waste a single bit.
- Roasted vegetables like zucchini, bell peppers, or cherry tomatoes add color and extra Mediterranean flair to your plate.
- Rice pilaf or risotto makes sense if you want something a bit heartier than the angel hair pasta, though honestly, the pasta already does most of the heavy lifting here.
- A light white wine for the adults at the table – maybe save some of that Chardonnay you’re cooking with, or try a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc that won’t overpower the delicate chicken flavors.
Cooking Tips & Tricks (Chef’s Notes)
I want to share some kitchen wisdom that’ll help you nail this piccata every single time.
- Pound those chicken breasts thin – we’re talking about 1/4 inch thick, because thick chicken means uneven cooking, and nobody wants rubbery piccata.
- Don’t skip the marinade time – that hour in the lemon-water bath isn’t just for flavor, it actually tenderizes the meat and keeps it from drying out during cooking.
- Keep your butter from burning by watching the heat carefully – medium is your friend here, not medium-high where everything goes sideways fast.
- Cook the wine down properly – you want to smell that alcohol cooking off and see the liquid reduce by about a third, otherwise your sauce will taste harsh instead of mellow.
- Have everything ready before you start because this recipe moves quickly once the chicken hits the pan, and scrambling for ingredients while your butter browns is a recipe for disaster.
- Test your cornstarch slurry by making sure it’s completely smooth – any lumps will turn into weird, gummy bits in your beautiful sauce.
- Don’t overcrowd the chicken in the pan, even if it means cooking in batches, because crowded chicken steams instead of getting that lovely golden crust.
- Taste your sauce before serving – every lemon is different, every wine varies, so adjust with a pinch more salt or another squeeze of lemon if needed.
Nutritional Facts
This elegant chicken piccata delivers a well-balanced meal with lean protein, complex carbohydrates, and beneficial nutrients from the lemon and herbs.
- Calories per serving: Approximately 680-720 calories (based on 6 servings)
- Protein: 45-50 grams from the chicken breast, making this an excellent high-protein meal
- Carbohydrates: 55-60 grams primarily from the angel hair pasta and small amounts from the flour coating
- Fat: 18-22 grams, with most coming from the butter used in cooking and sauce preparation
- Fiber: 2-3 grams from the pasta and artichoke hearts
- Sodium: Moderate to high levels due to chicken broth, seasoning salt, and canned artichokes
- Vitamin C: Good source from fresh lemon juice, supporting immune function
- B Vitamins: Significant amounts from chicken, particularly niacin and B6 for energy metabolism
- Selenium: High levels from chicken breast, important for antioxidant function
- Phosphorus: Good amounts from chicken and pasta for bone health
- Potassium: Moderate levels from chicken, mushrooms, and artichoke hearts
- Iron: Small amounts from the chicken and enriched pasta
Fun “Did You Know?”
Ever wonder why piccata got its name? I’ve uncovered it comes from the Italian word “piccare,” meaning “to prick” or “to sting.” This refers to the dish’s tangy, lemony bite that literally makes your taste buds tingle.
Here’s something fascinating: traditional piccata doesn’t include mushrooms or artichokes like our wine-kissed version does.
I’ve also learned that angel hair pasta wasn’t the original pairing – piccata was typically served with simple vegetables.
The addition of Chardonnay creates a more complex flavor profile than classic piccata’s straightforward lemon-butter sauce.
It’s amazing how recipes evolve while keeping their essence intact.
