Oven-Roasted Chicken Piccata Recipe
Oven roasted chicken piccata is a show-stopping dish that's perfect for entertaining or a cozy weeknight dinner. Crispy-skinned, whole roasted chicken is seasoned to perfection and smothered in a lemon-caper pan sauce.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Makes: 4 - 6 servings
Ingredients
- 5 lb whole chicken, (any bird between 4 - 5 lb. is fine)
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil (canola, grapeseed, sunflower, etc)
- kosher salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 lemon, cut into thick slices
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 3 tablespoons minced capers
- 2/3 cup white wine
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 cup minced parsley and chives
Instructions
- Spatchcock the chicken. Place the chicken on a large cutting board and pat dry with paper towels. Arrange the bird breast-side down on the cutting board with the legs facing towards you. Using good-quality kitchen shears, cut along one side of the chicken spine, separating it from the ribs. Be sure to cut as close to the spine as you can so that you do not end up discarding any more of the chicken meat than necessary. Repeat on the other side of the spine.Flip the chicken so that the breasts face upward and the chicken legs face outward. Using the palm of your hands, press along the breast bone. You might hear a small crack. This should flatten the chicken completely.
- Dry brine the chicken. Season the chicken liberally all over, including the underside and under the skin. Place the chicken on a baking sheet lined with foil and transfer to the fridge uncovered for at least 4 hours, up to 48 hours.
- Preheat an oven to 400ºF.
- Sear the chicken. Heat a large cast iron skillet (at least 11" in diameter), over medium heat. Add the neutral oil. Once the oil is hot, lay the chicken in the skillet skin side down and weigh it down with another skillet or heavy pot. Let the chicken cook for 10-12 minutes, until deeply golden brown.
- Roast. Remove the skillet weighing the chicken down and gently flip the chicken over so that it's sitting in the skillet skin side up. Arrange the lemon slices around and under the chicken. Transfer to the oven and roast for 35-40 minutes, until the thickest parts of the breasts and legs register 165 F on a meat thermometer.
- Let it rest. Remove the chicken from the oven and transfer to a cutting board to rest. Return the skillet to the stove over medium heat.
- While the chicken rests, make the piccata sauce. Add 2 tablespoons of the cold butter to the pan and use a silicone spatula to work up any browned bits. Once the butter is melted and foamy, add the shallots and cook for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add the capers and cook for 1 minute. Add the white wine and lemon juice to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Use a spoon to work up any more remaining brown bits from the skillet. Reduce the heat slightly and whisk in the remaining cold butter, one tablespoon at a time. Whisk constantly so that the butter emulsifies into the sauce. Add the lemon zest and fresh herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Garnish and serve. Place the chicken on a serving platter and pour the lemon caper sauce over the top. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Calories: 671kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 51gFat: 48gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 11gMonounsaturated Fat: 21gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 204mgSodium: 195mgPotassium: 606mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 389IUVitamin C: 27mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 3mg
