Yep. You are right. This is my go-to dish, and it is phenomenally tasty and easy. Master this, and you will impress. You can also modify this by adding artichoke hearts and spinach -- or serving it over sauteed spinach. It makes for an award-winning, different version of scallopini.

What side dish or dishes would go best with chicken piccata?

Chicken Piccata/Marsala/Francaise.

The 'Holy Trinity' of quick Italian chicken dishes, and everyone should know them. A simple swap out of some on-hand ingredients yields something new and delicious each time.

I'm of the school that says you should purchase regular (thicker) chicken breasts, and then pound them thin, if even just for a few whacks. The process always seems to tenderize the meat more. That, and stores generally charge an extra $1-$2/pound just to slice them thin. Compare pricing next time. If that's not enough reason to do this simple step on your own, I don't know what is.

Bonus! If you've had a particularly bad day at work, visualize your boss/co-worker on the chicken. Makes the beating a little more satisfying.

Wonderful recipe. I do this regularly but add some grated lemon rind to the flour and parmesan and a little light cream to the sauce - delicious!

I'm not into chickens those days, but my Mum always searches for some simple (!!) and delicious (!!) recipes and here I have one for her. Thanks very much for lovely inspiration.

Chicken Piccata is one of my favorites! Thanks for sharing the idea about butterflying the chicken pieces.

This looks fantastic! And I always fillet chicken breasts for any dish I'm using them in. They cook faster so they don't dry out. Makes a huge difference.

I'm always amazed, too, that a few simple ingredients can be morphed into a fabulous meal.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I just bought some chicken and should have everything else needed. You have made my pregnant body very happy.

Funny how we often lose sight of the oldies and the goodies, isn't it? This looks great - just what I'd like for my supper tonight!

Re: side dishes

My Mom makes this all the time, it's a family favorite. She serves it with green beans topped by simple marinara sauce, yum. Add a green salad and bread- no one leaves hungry.

Definietly a favorite: love this treatment for salmon and veal as well. Try some rubbed sage in the flour mix. Artichoke and mushroom sautee is a great side with some orzo or cous cous.

Because I rarely eat veal, I love this piccata variation that's made exactly the same way. Delicious!

Weird how a recipe like this drops from your repertoire for years and yet how many times since then have I wracked my brain for something different for supper? I didn't use capers back in the day either. This will be a nice surprise for my family tonight.

This is my absolute favorite - and I agree that pounding the chicken is a step that can't be skipped. I never make it because it never quite measures up to my dad's, he can spend most of an evening pounding chicken and getting everything ready (to feed five, with leftovers), and he always ends up with the most amazing meal I have ever had. The wine is necessary, and we usually serve it with a little pasta, angel hair or something equally light. I believe shallots make their way in somewhere, as does a little garlic, and they add even more dimension to the flavor. Yum!

Simply a beautiful photo!

I love chicken piccata! So easy and so tasty. I have never used the flour coating, though I should because it looks tasty. I use lemon basil instead of parsley because it adds extra lemony flavor.

I add sauteed mushrooms to the sauce if I can (creminis, usually).

Side note - Whenever I'm doing anything with chicken cutlets, I always marinate them in ranch dressing beforehand, for a few hours if you can. It's basically like the buttermilk treatment for fried chicken, but even better - it makes the chicken flavorful and very, very soft. Also, doing it this way means it's already moist when you go to dredge it in flour or breadcrumbs. I've done this very successfully for chicken parmesean, piccata, or even just before i dredge and pan fry for sandwiches.

My variation is to pound the chicken, rather than filet. And add thinly sliced lemon wheels to the pan while cooking because they actually turn "sort of sweet" as you cook them, and depending on your palate, you can eat them.

I like the idea of adding the cream as one reader mentioned, that sounds like a nice touch.

Yes, this chicken piccata is a good old standby. I serve this with side dish of angle hair pasta,with lemon garlic butter and shredded fresh mushrooms and green scallions. My "Hubs" really likes it this way.I really like to fix this dish when the heirloom tomatoes are in season.They make a great side.
Anna

Great recipe. I make it for our family on a regular basis, but use turkey cutlets. You can save time by not having to butterfly the chicken breasts.

This was one of my favorites growing up, but I'm not sure if I've ever made it myself. That changes tonight! I bought a couple lemons and a bottle of capers at the grocery just for this recipe. Thanks, Elise!

Try adding a little fresh dill instead of parsley. It adds a little more "zip" and goes well with both capers and artichoke hearts.

Once again, you inspired my dinner and it was wonderful. Thank goodness one of us is thinking about what to make!

This is one of the classic recipes that probably
used veal scallopini, but the recipe works with
thin pork cutlets as well as chicken. Goes well with
spaghetti. In Europe they serve thin French fries
with the meat. It's delicious any way you have it.

This is one of my favorite recipes. Brocolli, Brussel Sprouts, Fresh sauteed Spinach go wonderful with Picata. Cranberry sauce, Apple sauce or any fruit make a complete meal. This Picate sauce can be used on Veal, over hamburgers but especially with Chicken Breasts.

My mom just served this last night when I went to my parent's house because it's one of my favorite dishes. She always serves it over egg noodles with some butter and some of the sauce from the chicken. It's delicious!

I think I'll make a double recipe this week with some wild rice so I can have it for lunch a few days.

Oh this looks quite glorious. I would probably pair this with grilled/broiled fresh asparagus too-- something light but flavorful. Also, what do you guys think about adding a chopped green olives to the deal? Dice up some anchovies as well. Too much?

This came out really well tonight! I saw it this morning, after wondering what to do with the two chicken breasts we had defrosted in the fridge overnight. The only thing I didn't already have were the capers.

My choices were capers in vinegar, or capers in balsamic vinegar. Hmm. What would Elise do?

Thinking the extra flavor might be all right, we made the sauce with the balsamic ones. It came out pretty strongly flavored and dark, but quite tasty with the chicken. Until I use up the jar, I'd cut back on the capers by about half. I loved it, but my husband's initial reaction to a taste from a spoon was pretty comic. The chicken was delicious and very rich -- I might experiment with cutting back on some of the butter, but it did make the sauce taste pretty luxurious.

I love all the business about parsley vs. dill and capers/olives/anchovies. Essence of our art. Anybody who can read and get to the market can cook. Elise here is taking care of what to read, and then there are the choices/changes. If you prefer olives to capers, change it - only the question of kind, pitting and chopping. As you grow in your private kitchen kingdom, you learn what can work. The 3 above all sound good if that's what you want, cherries in heavy syrup probably not, chunks of watermelon ... you decide. Hoca

RE: William Pitcher: PORK! Thanks! I'd forgotten about the superb lemony pork cutlets from a nearby restaurant!... a little dill or perhaps sage, and ... oh, my I've got to get to the market!
Elise, how gracious of you to share your knowledge and allow us all to add ours! Thanks for the gathering place!

This sounds delicious but I am allergic to citrus fruit (lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit). How could I make this without..is there a good substitute?

You can also swap out the chicken for boneless pork chops, and instead of butterflying them, simple pound them out to about 1/4 inch thickness.

This is my go to recipe. I almost always have all the ingredients on hand. I usually serve it with a side of pasta. I like to mix baby portabella's in the sauce just to have a veggie. Your presentation of the dish looks fab as always.

I love Chicken Piccata as well. I usually make extra sauce and serve the chicken over angel hair pasta. Then, all you need is a side vegetable!

You can totally sub tofu for the bird, too, with this recipe! Mine take is slightly different, but essentially the same -- http://texaslocavore.com/index.php/recipes/tofu-three-ways/

Elise, that picture has me drooling on my keyboard . I love chicken piccata and haven't made it in ages. You've inspired me to add capers to my grocery list, and add this recipe back into my rotation. Thanks!

This recipe looks delicious and I'm thinking I will make it for dinner on Friday. I'm having 5 people over for dinner - Do you have any suggestions on good side dishes to go with it? THANKS!

Ok, half the recipe is what Elise posts, the other half is always in the comments (e.g., the various variations to the recipe and sides).

I'd offer you leftovers of tonight's dinner, but there aren't any. Yum! I was going to make it with egg noodles and steamed broccoli but I changed my mind as I saw some AP potatoes in the pantry that needed to be used up so I made it with baked potatoes and peas. Peas with the capers was a bit "round" but the green was pleasing and I was in the mood for peas.

And this recipe is just so easy I can't believe I haven't made this before!

I make chicken (and sometimes-rarely-veal) picatta, too. I never had it until I was married, living in Switzerland, almost 13 years ago. I pound my chicken thin and my recipe is similar, but I don't use parmesan cheese. I love cheese, but really like this without it. I seem to serve this with buttered wide egg noodles and grean beans every time. My family loves this meal. I made a similar recipe for Red Snapper tonight, posted the recipe on my blog tonight. Feel free to use it!

My family loves this dish. I add thinly sliced lemons and minced parsley. Serve with fetuccine alfredo. Hmmmm

There are a few things I always keep on hand because they can make the easiest last-minute meals! 1) Arborio rice, parmesan, and frozen spinach and/or canned artichokes, for risotto; 2) San marzano tomatoes and fresh garlic for tomato sauce or a ragout; 3) Puff pastry, parmesan cheese, and any vegetable for a quick tart; and eggs, parmesan and veggies for a super easy frittata.

I made this for dinner last night and my family loved it! I forget how simple this really is and how much we really love it. I will be making this again soon.
One of our favorite "must haves" is Sloppy Joes. I brown up some hamburger, drain it, then put it back in the pan and add 1 can of tomato soup and 1 small jar of salsa, mix well till heated through. Serve over toasted hamburger buns open faced with shredded cheddar cheese on top. My kids love to have tater tots with this as well. Thanks for all the great recipes!

This is one of my favorite 'easy' recipes! Thanks for the reminder that I haven't made it lately...guess it's time! :)

Looks wonderful! I'll have to try this recipe out on my taste tester aka my husband-my previous attempt was not so hot!! A great alternative for those who don't eat veal. Thanks!

Ahhh this dose bring back memories. Where I grew up there was an Italian place that made this exquisitely and always served it over garlic-buttered noodles. This takes me back! I must try this myself.

I love this dish with zucchini, carrots, onions shredded on a cheese grater (or a food processor to similar size, the larger side of the grater) and sauteed very briefly in Pam with garlic. It sops up the sauce perfectly. Mmmm, probably gonna cook this this weekend.

I served this last night, substituting calamari steaks for the chicken and accompanied it with steamed broccoli seasoned with lemon zest. It was a hit! Thanks.

A great trick I learned a while back (that's both tasty and looks great too!):

Take one of your lemons, cut off a little of the ends then slice the lemon from pole to pole. Next, take one half and slice it into thin slices. toss these in when you add the chicken stock and let them simmer in the sauce while it reduces. Once it reduces by half, then add the reserved lemon juice. The final product will have a little more complexity, and the slices of lemon cook to a delicious softness - they look very nice topping the chicken and you can eat them peel and all!

Side dish - We just had asparagus prepared stove top, simply with butter, salt, and pepper per an Epicurious recipe from a couple of weeks ago. With a nice green salad and wine, quite perfect! And thanks for all the lemon ideas for the piccata. I like the ideas of the sweet ones baking on top. I'm going to try this same recipe with veal!

This dish was fantastic! I could eat capers simmered in butter and white wine as a snack and this whole dish satisfied my caper craving. I had to alter the flour part because our family eats gluten-free, due to celiac disease. I used garfava flour and it tasted delicious. I was shocked how easy it actually was to make. Thank you for sharing an easy but wonderfully scrumptious meal.

I was sold on the first bite. Thank you for a delicious recipe!

Just wanted to say thank you, Elise. I live in Europe and can not always get the ingredients I need, but I had everything for this recipe. I made it for my roommates last night and we enjoyed every bite. I love all your wonderful recipes.

This recipe is SOOOO good! and so easy! I made this with these mashed potatoes I make where I take frozen spinach and cook with a little water, pepper flakes, garlic, and onion until all of the liquid is gone, then add it to mashed potatoes with sour cream, butter, shredded cheddar and salt. It complimented the chicken piccata perfectly- and tasted great with the sauce!
The spinach mashed potatoes make awesome tater cakes the following day too! The Piccata sauce makes a great gravy for the tater cakes if you add a touch of dill.
This Chicken Piccata recipe was so good that my husband begged me to make it again the following night....truly a keeper!