Some dishes are ingrained in you. Whether they’re connected to a place, a memory, or a person. You can remember what they tasted like, who you enjoyed it with, and how it made you feel. Chicken Piccata is one of those dishes for me!

If you’re from NYC (and specifically from Washington Heights) then you may remember Coogan’s. It was this family owned restaurant and bar that was a pillar of the community. It was a cute little place to grab a nice comfort meal for lunch or dinner but was also a hot spot at night. I never went to the bar until I got older but the stories I always heard from my mom were epic. It was her spot. Her and her girls hung out at Coogan’s at least twice a week and the staff knew them as regulars.

I would ear hustle when she chatted with her friends about their epic nights and I couldn’t wait to go to Coogan’s too lol. So one day I asked her why I couldn’t go and she said “you can’t go to the bar yet but we can go for dinner”. After that day, we started going once in a blue for dinners. I would indulge on Mozzarella sticks and chicken fingers and she would always order her favorite, their chicken piccata. My mom was a celebrity at Coogan’s and we always got the VIP treatment- unlimited Shirley Temples and all the best desserts for free99. One day I got tired of my chicken fingers and mozzarella order and asked my mom if I could try her Chicken Piccata. The waiter overheard me asking and said “I’ll bring you your own and you can try it then”. When the plate arrived, I tried it and my eyes lit up. It was so damn good. No wonder why my mom ordered this frequently. It was the first time I enjoyed an “adult meal” and I loved it. Ever since, no chicken piccata has compared. Until now, at least!

I created this dish as an ode to my mom and her favorite dish but also as an ode to Coogan’s. The pandemic really did a number on the food industry and sadly Coogan’s couldn’t stay open. Nonetheless, here’s a recipe that’s like the one I enjoyed as a kid but better! The lemony flavor pairs so well with the garlic and wine in this dish. And my secret ingredient to bring this all together- grated parmesan in my dredge! So damn good.

Make this! You will not regret it!

Ingredients:

Dredge

1.5 cups of all purpose flour
Handful of fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon of Home Beis House blend
1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese
Pinch of salt
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Lemony Sauce

Zest of one lemon
Juice of 2 lemons
1/2 teaspoon of Home Beis House blend
1 teaspoon of Chicken bouillon base (Like Better Than Bouillon)
2.5 teaspoons of Capers
3 teaspoons of the Capers brine from the jar
1/4 cup of water

For the Chicken

3-4 lbs of thinly sliced and pounded chicken breasts
Salt, to taste
Fresh cracked black pepper to taste- season well
4 tablespoons of olive oil, for cooking
6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
Handful of Parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup of dry white wine (Like Sauvignon Blanc)
2 tablespoons of butter
1 lemon, thinly sliced

Directions:

First we create our dredge. In a bowl, add flour, fresh parsley, house blend, parmesan cheese, salt to taste, and black pepper. Mix to combine and then set aside.

Next, we create our lemony sauce. In a small bowl, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, house blend, chicken bouillon base, capers, caper brine, and water. Whisk to combine and set aside.

Then, we prep the chicken. Liberally season the thinly sliced chicken breast with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Next, dredge each chicken breast (one at a time) with the dredge mixture making sure to full coat each side of each chicken breast. Repeat until all of your chicken breasts are coated with the dredge. Set aside.

It’s time to sear the chicken breasts. Add the olive oil to a large skillet under medium to high heat. Then, add in your chicken breasts being careful not to crowd the pan. Do this in batches if your pan isn’t big enough to sear all of your chicken breasts in the pan without crowding it. Sear on each side for about 5 minutes or until you get a nice sear. Flip the chicken breasts to get a nice sear on the other side as well. When all of your chicken breasts are nicely seared, remove from the pan and set aside. You’re going to use all of the drippings in the pan to create your piccata sauce.

Now we finish the dish. Add your butter to the pan along with the chicken drippings while also using a spatula or your cooking spoon to scrape all of the drippings on the bottom of the pan. Then, add in your garlic and combine. Saute until the garlic is fragrant.

Then, you add in your white wine and combine. Simmer for 2 minutes and then add all of your chicken breasts back in the pan while making sure that you’re coating the chicken with the buttery and garlicky wine sauce in your pan. Flip each chicken breasts to ensure each side is coated.

Lastly, add in your lemony caper sauce and again coat the chicken breasts with the sauce. Spoon the sauce in your pan over each of your chicken breasts to ensure they soak up the sauce. Add the thin slices of lemon on top of the chicken breasts and then cover the pan with a lid. Cook for 5 minutes minutes on low.

Top with fresh parsley and enjoy!

I love plating this with a side of steamed white rice or mashed potatoes and veggies. So delicious!