Panko Parmesan Crusted Chicken Piccata

This post last updated 12/22/2024

You Will Need:

1. A sharp chef knife
2. A 12″ Cast Iron Skillet
3. 3 wide, shallow baking dishes

Ingredients:

1.   2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied, sliced through. and pounded into cutlets about 1/4 inch thick.
2. 1/4 cup flour
3. 1 Tablespoons Paprika
4. Salt and Pepper
5. 2 eggs
6. 1 Tablespoons vodka (optional, adds crunch – and is an additional binding agent!)
7. 1 Tablespoons cream or milk (optional, also a binding agent)
8. 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
9. 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10. 2 Tablespoons dried Italian Herb Mix
11. 2 Tablespoons
12. 2 Tablespoons clarified butter (or ghee, or duck fat – optional, for better flavor)
13. 1/4 to 1/2 cup vegetable oil – however much is needed to be 1 – 1½ inches deep in the pan you’re working with
14. 2 tablespoons olive oil
15. 4-6 cloves garlic, finely minced
16. 1 14oz can low sodium chicken stock
17. 12 oz dry white wine
18. Juice of two lemons
19. 1 5oz can capers, drained and rinsed
20. 1 box angel hair pasta, cooked according to package directions
21. 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
22. Lemon slices, for garnish

Prep:

1. Preheat oven to 200°F.  Begin heating 3-4 quarts water for pasta.
2. Mince garlic, open can of chicken stock, open wine, juice lemons, rinse and drain capers.  Set aside.
3. Set up your chicken dredging station.  You’ll need two, wide shallow dishes and one medium sized bowl.
   • Put the flour in one of the wide, shallow dishes.  Season aggressively with salt and pepper; add paprika and whisk together.
   • In the second wide, shallow dish add Panko bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and dried Italian herb mix.  Whisk together until well mixed.
   • Crack two eggs into the medium sized bowl; add vodka (if using), cream/milk, and 2 tablespoons water.  Whisk together until slightly foamy.
   • Line them up on your countertop in this order:  Flour mixture, egg wash, bread crumb mixture
4. Dredge a chicken cutlet first in the flour mixture (shaking of excess), then dip into the egg wash, and then dredge in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing firmly to adhere to each side, and transfer to a baking sheet.
5. Once all the cutlets have been breaded, transfer them to the fridge for 30 minutes (optional, but will help the breading stick to the chicken cutlets)

Cook:

1. Heat vegetable oil and 2 Tablespoons clarified butter, ghee, or duck fat in a large skillet over medium heat and gently stir. Use an Instant Read Thermometer to ensure oil is around 375°F 
2. Add cutlets, one or two at a time, to skillet and fry 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown.  Repeat with remaining cutlets.
3. When all the cutlets are browned, placed them on a wire rack set on a baking sheet (or a lightly greased baking sheet, but the wire rack is preferable so that the bottom of your cutlets don’t become mushy) and bake them in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes while you make the sauce.

While the cutlets are finishing in the oven, make your pan sauce:

1. Dump out the used oil, and lightly wipe out the pan
2. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan and heat over medium heat
3. Add garlic and capers; sauté until very fragrant, 1 to to minutes – do not allow to burn
4. Deglaze the pan with wine, chicken stock and lemon juice and bring to a boil, scraping up any brown bits that might be stuck to the bottom. 
5. Reduce to a simmer; Partially cover and allow to reduce by about 30%.
6. Now is probably a good time to cook the pasta, which will take 5-7 minutes, while the sauce is reducing. 
7. Just before serving, add the final 2 TBSP butter to the sauce.
8. Stir and shake vigorously in until fully melted and incorporated.

To plate:  Place pasta on plate, place a chicken cutlet (or two) on top of the pasta, and spoon pan sauce over cutlet and pasta.  Garnish with parsley and lemon wedges if desired.  Serve with extra Parmesan cheese.