Copycat Geoffrey Zakarian Chicken Piccata
This copycat Geoffrey Zakarian Chicken Piccata recipe features thin, golden seared chicken breasts with a silky, buttery pan sauce made with shallots, white wine, lemon, and briny capers. Ready in about 35 minutes, it's an elegant weeknight dinner that delivers restaurant-quality flavor using the technique of building a brilliant sauce right from the chicken drippings.
Equipment
- 12-inch heavy-bottomed stainless steel skillet - or cast iron skillet
- Meat mallet - or rolling pin
- Plastic wrap - or zip-lock bag for pounding
- Shallow dish - or plate for dredging
- Tongs
- Wooden spoon - or silicone spatula
- Instant-read thermometer
- Whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Cutting board
- Sharp chef's knife
- Microplane - or zester for lemon zest
- Ladle - for plating sauce
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts - about 6 oz or 170g each
- Kosher salt - to taste
- freshly cracked black pepper - to taste
- 0.5 cup all-purpose flour - 65g, for dredging
- 3 tablespoons olive oil - 45ml, for searing
- 2 tablespoons chicken pan drippings - 30ml, or unsalted butter as substitute
- 2 tablespoons shallots - 16g, finely minced
- 1 cup dry white wine - 240ml, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio
- 1.5 cups chicken stock - 360ml
- 2 tablespoons capers - 17g, roughly chopped
- 1 large lemon - zest and juice (about 3 tablespoons or 45ml juice)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter - 30g, cold, cut into small pieces
- 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley - 8g, finely minced
- lemon slices - for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Pound each chicken breast between plastic wrap to an even 1/2-inch thickness. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
- Dredge each chicken breast in flour, shaking off excess. Let rest for 2 minutes for the coating to adhere.
- Heat olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken 3-4 minutes per side until golden and cooked to 165°F. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil.
- In the same skillet, cook shallots in pan drippings over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until softened and lightly golden.
- Pour in the white wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom. Reduce until the wine is mostly evaporated and the pan sizzles, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add chicken stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce by half, about 7-10 minutes, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
- Stir in capers, parsley, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Reduce heat to low and whisk in cold butter a few pieces at a time until emulsified and glossy.
- Arrange chicken on plates, spoon the warm piccata sauce over the top, and garnish with extra parsley and lemon slices if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Pound evenly, not thin: Aim for 1/2-inch cutlets. Too thin and the chicken will overcook before the exterior gets properly golden.
- Shake off excess flour: A light coating prevents the sauce from becoming thick and pasty. Too much flour makes the sauce gummy instead of silky.
- Don't crowd the pan: If your skillet isn't large enough, sear the chicken in two batches. Crowding causes steaming, which prevents that golden crust and reduces the flavorful drippings.
- Use cold butter at the end: Always add the cold butter off the heat or over very low heat. High heat will break the emulsion and leave you with a greasy, separated sauce.
- Don't skip the wine reduction: Let the wine reduce until the pan sizzles and the liquid is nearly gone. Rushing this step leaves a raw, boozy taste in the sauce.
- Storage: Store cooked chicken and sauce separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The pan sauce deepens in flavor overnight.
- Reheating: Warm chicken in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of chicken stock. Reheat sauce gently over low heat, whisking; add a small knob of cold butter if it separates.
- Make ahead: Pound, season, and dredge the chicken up to 24 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate until ready to sear.
- Substitute for wine: Use an equal amount of additional chicken stock plus an extra tablespoon of lemon juice, or a splash of white grape juice or apple cider.