Piccata Sauce
Ingredients
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- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp shallot – finely minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tbsp capers in brine – drained, rinsed
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter – cold, cut into small cubes
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest – finely grated
- 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley – finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper – freshly ground
Instructions
1. Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until shimmering, about 1 minute.
2. Add shallot and cook, stirring, until translucent and tender, 2–3 minutes.
3. Pour in dry white wine and simmer, scraping up any browned bits, until reduced by about half and lightly syrupy, 2–3 minutes.
4. Add low-sodium chicken broth and simmer until reduced by about half and the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon, 4–6 minutes.
5. Stir in capers in brine and fresh lemon juice and simmer 1 minute to marry flavors.
6. Remove the skillet from heat and whisk in unsalted butter, a few cubes at a time, until the sauce is glossy and emulsified, 30–60 seconds.
7. Stir in flat-leaf parsley and lemon zest, then season with kosher salt and black pepper. Serve immediately over cutlets, fish, or vegetables.
Piccata sauce is a bright, briny, and silky pan sauce built on lemon, capers, wine, and butter. It delivers a lively acidity balanced by savory depth and a rich finish that clings beautifully to food. The texture is glossy and spoon-coating, making it as appealing on the plate as it is on the palate.
Originating from the Italian technique “alla piccata,” the sauce is most famously paired with thin cutlets like veal or chicken, quickly sautéed and sauced in the same pan. In Italy, veal piccata is the classic, but Italian-American cooking helped popularize chicken piccata and a slightly more generous amount of sauce. Over time, the combination of wine reduction, lemon, and capers became a restaurant staple and a home-cooking favorite across the world.