This Alton Brown Chicken Is the Fastest “Fancy” Dinner I Know

Alton Brown’s Chicken Piccata sounds just as drool-worthy and dynamic as it is music to your taste buds. Umami mushrooms contrast briny capers, zippy lemon juice, and tart white wine, while lightly breaded and tender chicken thighs deliver succulent satisfaction. (It’s probably even better if you don’t mistakenly use double the wine? I read what I wanted to see.)

Using the old world “piccata” method of pan-frying thinly-sliced meat in butter, Italian American immigrants put together a dish in the 1930s that never quit. It’s so good, I’m planning dinner parties just for the chance to bust out Alton’s easy, crowd-pleasing stunner. I’m also blatantly using it as culinary thirst traps. Me: “[PIC] I just made chicken piccata [Lookie-loo emoji].” My friend: “Shut up! I love chicken piccata!” See?

How To Make Alton Brown’s Chicken Piccata

Pour *half a cup of wine*, broth, and lemon juice into a pitcher. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Put flour in a zip-top bag, add a thigh, and pound it flat. Repeat with all the chicken pieces. Add butter and oil to a hot pan and add two thighs. Cook each side until golden brown then repeat the oil and butter process until everything’s fried. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

Sauté your mushrooms, then add the capers, the wine mixture, the chicken, and the lemon slices. Cover and cook for five minutes. Plate your chicken, add flour and butter to your pan, and cook your sauce until it’s creamy. Drizzle the sauce over your chicken and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Tips for Making Alton Brown’s Chicken Piccata

• My “fine mesh sieve” was the OXO Good Grips Dusting Wand from when I got into “first” wave sourdough (via Michael Pollan’s Netflix doc “Cooked,” in 2016). I’ve used it to dust everything from classic tiramisu to chicken piccata. 
• I pounded out my meat with a rolling pin like a boss … who doesn’t have a meat tenderizer.
• My somm friend says sauvignon blanc from New Zealand’s Marlborough region is reliably crisp, grassy, and drinkable at any price point. Mine was $9 from Trader Joe’s—and delish.
• You can eat the lemons! I slid one onto my plate and cut bits of it for a tangy kick. The white parts can get bitter with cooking, so no pressure if you enjoy it only as a garnish. 
• I used double the wine by accident, and it was still great, even though I cut back on the liquid mixture. This might be more of a confession than a tip, but cheers!