Baked Chicken Thighs Piccata


Who doesn't love a garlicky, lemony caper butter sauce?

I love chicken piccata......but who wants to dredge chicken cutlets in flour, egg and breadcrumbs, and then fry them? (the word "dredge" even sounds like a chore).
Not me.
I hate the mess on my stove.

Here's a much easier way to make this wonderful dish.

Use chicken thighs and BAKE them in the oven!

You will love me after you've tried this method.

Your kitchen will smell so good while cooking this dish.

One rule: you have to use thighs with SKIN on, so don't ask if you can use skinless thighs, it won't work, sorry.

Here's how:

4-6 chicken thighs w/ bones and skin (I like Empire Kosher, they are bigger and better)
2 lemons, sliced
1/4 cup capers
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp butter, melted
kosher salt & pepper
1/2 cup chicken stock

It's important to remember not to pour the stock and ingredients on the thighs, but AROUND them, so they crisp up.

Lay the thighs in a cast iron skillet and brush them w/ the melted butter. Season with kosher salt & pepper.
Spread the minced garlic on and around the chicken.


Lay the lemon slices and capers AROUND the chicken pieces and carefully pour the stock AROUND the thighs (not over them).

Bake in a 400F oven for 45-50 minutes. The skin will be nice and crispy from the melted butter.

Pour the yummy sauce over the chicken pieces and lay lemon slices on top before serving.
I served this with a toasted baguette and mopped up the sauce, making the most delicious garlic bread!


So good and SO EASY!

Enjoy.

Comments

Anonymous said…
what happens if you take the skin off?
Stacey Snacks said…
Anonymous,
I don't think anything will happen to you.
But the dish is all about the skin.

Enjoy! and be careful!
;)
Trigirlpink said…
Boneless chicken breasts are over rated. DO NOT FEAR THE CHICKEN THIGH people. :-). Sounds yummy and incredibly easy. Can't wait to try this.
Patsy said…
This is brilliant! YOU are brilliant!
Stacey Snacks said…
Trigirl,
I got a few FB messages asking if they could use BREASTS. I said NO.

Geez.

;)
When I saw this recipe yesterday, I thought, "I hope no one asks if they can use boneless skinless chicken breasts." :)

And here we sit at work, eating your Nutella blondies from...2011? I was just showing my co-worker your blog and all your recipes I have saved in Diigo. Right now I'm up to 163. Please write the cookbook!
Bebe said…
Someday, in a perfect world, no one will fear chicken with the skin on. (The same people eat rotisserie-grilled chicken. How does that work?) The skin protects the meat from drying, all of the fat in the skin cooks into the sauce (and won’t kill the eater) and if it gets really crisp, will be delicious to eat with the meat.

It’s not like we’re eating chicken skin every day!

I was looking at some pork chops the other night at the market, when a nice older man came over to me and asked if I wasn’t worried about cholesterol. Poor guy doesn’t know that today’s pork is a challenge to cook and eat because they have bred it to be so lean! I would kill for some good old fat-marbled pork!

(Time for a glass of therapeutic wine.)
Stacey Snacks said…
Bebe,
This could be my favorite comment from you of all time!
Thank you!

xo
Unknown said…
Other then trimming the thighs of some extra fat (don't judge me) I followed your recipe exactly...including the four fat cloves of minced garlic. How many superlatives can I use....yummy, flavorful, easy,new family favorite, and it added a fabulous kitchen aroma of the meal to come. Thank you Stacey.
Jan Beaty said…
Made this tonight along with the broccoli twice baked potatoes...so delicious!! Thanks, Stacey.
Unknown said…
what will happen if you go skinless is the chicken will sweat and give off juices...and you want crisp and self basting to happen.
As for dredging, this is an entirely different approach to piccata. You put the meat - boneless, skinless thigh or breast, between 2 pcs of saran wrap and pound it. then you pat dry w/ paper towel, s&p and dredge by sprinkling flour. Traditionally, you pan fry in butter...then deglaze the pan w/ garlic, lemon, white wine and capers. I've not tried a baked version as this recipe. Always best, IMO to follow recipe directions exactly...then make modifications to your liking. It sound good and certainly easier.
Paula G
Unknown said…
I want to make this tonight but only have lemon juice..could I just use that and not lemon slices?