Chicken piccata
Thin chicken cutlets dusted in almond flour and seared, with a lemon and butter pan sauce.
- Hands-on
- 22 min
- Total time
32 min, show breakdown
- Prep 10 min
- Cook 16 min
- Clean up 6 min
- Pans
- 1
- Ingredients
- 8
- Cost/serving
- $3.11
Per serving
- Calories
- 454
- Protein
- 47 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Net carbs
- 2.8 g
- Fat
- 27 g
High in (% Daily Value per serving): Niacin (B3) 124%, Vitamin B6 99%, Selenium 84%, Riboflavin (B2) 33%, Vitamin K 30%, Vitamin E 23%, Vitamin B12 21%
Whole recipe (): . Full nutrition facts, vitamins and minerals. All nutrition is estimated; check your own labels.
Everything else is scaled from this.
Nutrition per serving is the whole batch divided by this.
Already egg-free, gluten-free, soy-free.
Ingredients for 2
Tap an ingredient for other units and forms.
You changed this recipe. Nutrition and cost include your changes. This combination hasn't been tested.
- 2 breasts chicken breast, boneless skinless (400 g)
2 tbsp almond flour, blanched (14 g)
Same amount as: 30 mL.
1 tbsp olive oil (14 g)
Same amount as: 15 mL.
2 tbsp butter (28 g)
Same amount as: 30 mL, about ¼ stick.
2 cloves garlic, smashed (6 g)
Same amount as: 2 tsp fresh minced garlic, 1 tsp jarred minced garlic, ¼ tsp garlic powder.
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth (120 g)
Same amount as: 120 mL.
2 tbsp lemon juice (30 g)
Same amount as: 30 mL, ¾ lemon squeezed from fresh lemons.
1 tbsp fresh parsley (3.8 g)
Same amount as: 15 mL.
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Use the menu next to each ingredient to skip it, halve it or add more. Nutrition updates as you go. The main ingredient changes with servings instead.
Amount for everything you're cooking. Missing an ingredient? Ask for it.
Healthier swaps
Optional. Nutrition and cost update as you choose; the recipe was written with the original.
- butter
- olive oil: Much less saturated fat. Uses a little less, since oil is all fat. Best for cooking, not baking.
Optional
Adds about 0 kcal per serving.
Quantities are for 2 servings. Four cutlets fill a 30 cm skillet. For more, sear in rounds and make the sauce once with all the pan juices.
Nutrition Facts
2 servings per recipe
Serving size 1 plate (308 g raw)
| Nutrient | Per serving | % DV* | Whole recipe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 454 | ||
| Total fat | 27 g | 35% | |
| Saturated fat | 9.6 g | 48% | |
| Cholesterol | 177 mg | 59% | |
| Sodium | 372 mg | 16% | |
| Total carbohydrate | 3.8 g | 1% | |
| Dietary fiber | 1 g | 3% | |
| Total sugars | 0.9 g | ||
| Net carbs† | 2.8 g | ||
| Protein | 47 g | 95% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.41 mcg | 2% | |
| Calcium | 42 mg | 3% | |
| Iron | 1.3 mg | 7% | |
| Potassium | 808 mg | 17% | |
| Vitamin A | 122 mcg | 14% | |
| Vitamin C | 9.3 mg | 10% | |
| Vitamin E | 3.4 mg | 23% | |
| Vitamin K | 37 mcg | 30% | |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.21 mg | 18% | |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.43 mg | 33% | |
| Niacin (B3) | 20 mg | 124% | |
| Vitamin B6 | 1.7 mg | 99% | |
| Folate | 18 mcg | 5% | |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.5 mcg | 21% | |
| Magnesium | 78 mg | 19% | |
| Zinc | 1.7 mg | 15% | |
| Selenium | 46 mcg | 84% |
Estimated, not verified. These numbers are calculated from typical ingredient data and haven't been checked against a lab or your brands. Check the labels of what you buy and confirm anything that matters to you, especially sodium, sugar and allergens.
* % Daily Value shows how much one serving adds to a 2,000-calorie day. † Net carbs is not on US labels; it is total carbs minus fiber, allulose, erythritol and half of other sugar alcohols. "To taste" amounts are counted as written. Counted items (eggs, cloves, spoons) use the rounded amount shown in the ingredient list. Vitamins and minerals are from raw ingredients; cooking lowers some, especially vitamin C and folate. How this is calculated.
Steps
Slice each breast in half through its side to make 2 thin cutlets about 1 cm (½ in) thick. Pat dry. Salt and pepper both sides. Mince the garlic.
Put the almond flour on a plate. Press each cutlet into it on both sides and shake off the extra.
Heat the oil and ½ tbsp of the butter in the pan on medium-high until the butter foams. Lay in the cutlets. Do not move them for 3–4 minutes.
Done looks like: Golden underneath. The cutlets let go of the pan on their own. Flip and cook 3 minutes more. Check the thickest cutlet, then move them to a plate.
Done looks like: Thermometer reads 74 °C / 165 °F or higher. Turn the heat to medium. Add the garlic and stir 30 seconds.
Pour in the broth and scrape up the brown bits with the spatula. Let it bubble 3–4 minutes.
Done looks like: About half the liquid is gone. The bubbles are bigger and slower. Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the lemon juice and the rest of the butter until melted.
Done looks like: The sauce is glossy and lightly coats the spatula. Put the chicken back in the pan and spoon the sauce over. Scatter the parsley on top.
Equipment
Large frying pan or skillet, 30 cm (12 in) $25–60
What to look for
- Wide flat base so food cooks in one layer
- Stainless steel or cast iron for high heat
Skip: Woks on flat electric stoves; they do not heat evenly there.
Instant-read digital thermometer $10–30
What to look for
- Reads in 5 seconds or less
- Thin probe tip
- Shows °C and °F
Skip: Dial thermometers that take 20+ seconds.
Silicone spatula $5–12
What to look for
- One-piece (no seam where the head meets the handle)
- Stiff enough to scrape, safe on non-stick
Skip: Wooden spatulas for non-stick pans; they work but do not scrape as cleanly.
Chef's knife, 20 cm (8 in) $15–50
What to look for
- Comfortable handle that does not slip when wet
- Blade you can sharpen, or a cheap one you replace every few years
Skip: Knife blocks with 12 knives. A chef's knife and a small paring knife cover almost everything.
Cutting board $10–30
What to look for
- At least 30 × 40 cm (12 × 16 in), so food stays on it
- Wood or plastic; plastic goes in the dishwasher
Skip: Glass or stone boards. They dull knives fast.
What goes wrong
| What | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Coating turns dark and bitter | Almond flour burns faster than wheat flour. | Keep the heat at medium-high, not high. Turn it down if the fat smokes. |
| Greasy, separated sauce | Butter added while the pan was still on the heat and boiling. | Take the pan off the heat first, then stir in the butter. |
| Thin, watery sauce | Broth not reduced long enough. | Let it bubble until half is gone before adding the lemon and butter. |
Versions
| Version | Changes | Per serving |
|---|---|---|
| Original | As written. Hands-on 22 min, total 32 min. | 454 kcal 47 g protein 1 g fiber 2.8 g net carbs 27 g fat |
| Nut-free | Parmesan instead of almond flour. Hands-on 22 min, total 32 min. | 432 kcal 48 g protein 0.2 g fiber 2.5 g net carbs 25 g fat |
Notes
Allergies: removing an allergen from the recipe does not remove it from your kitchen or from other products. Check labels for "may contain" warnings.
Pregnancy: Cook to at least 74 °C / 165 °F in the thickest part.