The winter chill has me dreaming of spring and summer, and citrus flavors always bring that season to mind. Recently I wanted chicken piccata and needed to use up several citrus fruits, so I combined them for a brighter take on the classic. The chicken is seasoned, lightly floured and sautéed until golden, then finished with a bright, buttery citrus sauce flavored with garlic and a splash of white wine.
A traditional chicken piccata relies mainly on lemon, but this version blends lemon, orange and lime juices to add sweetness and layered citrus notes. Because multiple citrus flavors are used, I omitted capers—unnecessary here—and served the dish with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli for a well-rounded meal.
Triple Citrus Chicken Piccata
recipe adapted from Cooking Light
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 1/2 tablespoons butter, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
4 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth, divided
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 tablespoon lime juice
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Place 1 teaspoon of the flour in a small bowl and keep the remaining flour in a shallow dish. Season both sides of each chicken breast with the salt, pepper and garlic powder. Dredge the chicken in the flour in the shallow dish, shaking off any excess.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter and melt. Add the chicken and sauté about 4 minutes per side, until cooked through and golden brown. Transfer the chicken to a plate and keep warm while you make the sauce.
Return the skillet to the heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the shallots and sliced garlic and sauté until softened and fragrant. Pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil and cook until the liquid has reduced significantly.
Whisk 1/4 cup of the chicken broth together with the cornstarch until smooth. Add the remaining broth to the skillet and bring to a boil. Cook until the liquid is reduced by about half (approximately 5 minutes), then whisk in the flour mixture and cook 1 minute more, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens slightly.
Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the remaining butter and the lemon, orange and lime juices. Return the chicken to the pan briefly to coat, or place one chicken breast half on each of four plates and spoon about 2 tablespoons of sauce over each. Sprinkle with about 2 teaspoons of chopped parsley per serving and serve immediately.