Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants is a contemporary American restaurant featuring creative cuisine, award-winning wines, and handcrafted cocktails. One of their most popular menu items is the chicken Ellie’s piccata, a pan-seared chicken breast with a lemon caper sauce. For those watching their calorie intake, the number of calories in this dish is an important consideration. In this article, we will provide a quick answer upfront, then go into more detail about the dish, its ingredients, and a final calorie calculation.
Quick Answer: A 6 oz chicken Ellie’s piccata from Cooper’s Hawk contains approximately 330 calories.
About Chicken Piccata
Chicken piccata is a classic Italian dish that features chicken cutlets (thin slices of chicken breast) cooked in a sauce of lemon, capers, butter or olive oil, and sometimes white wine or chicken stock. The term “piccata” refers to the tangy, lemony flavor of the sauce.
To make chicken piccata, the chicken is seasoned with salt and pepper, then dredged in flour, beaten eggs, and breadcrumbs to create a crispy coating. The chicken cutlets are then sautéed in olive oil or butter until browned. Once cooked through, the cutlets are set aside and the sauce is made by sautéing capers, lemon juice, and butter or olive oil together. The sauce is poured over the cooked chicken cutlets and garnished with parsley before serving.
This bright, fresh take on chicken is a menu staple at Italian restaurants and a go-to recipe for home cooks. It comes together quickly and all of the ingredients are readily available at most grocery stores. The classic preparation is quite light, relying on the flavor of the lemon, capers, and chicken rather than heavy cream or cheese.
Chicken Ellie’s Piccata at Cooper’s Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk puts a creative spin on the traditional chicken piccata with their Chicken Ellie’s Piccata entrée. Here are the key details about this dish on their menu:
– It features a 6 oz, pan-seared chicken breast as the star ingredient. The chicken breast is a lean cut of meat without skin or bone.
– The chicken is coated with panko breadcrumbs to give it a crispy, crunchy exterior when cooked. Panko breadcrumbs are Japanese-style breadcrumbs known for being light and flaky.
– The lemon caper sauce includes fresh lemon juice, white wine, butter, capers, and parsley. The wine and butter add richness, while the briny capers and tart lemon juice brighten up the flavor.
– The chicken is served alongside risotto and grilled asparagus. The risotto contributes additional calories from olive oil or butter used to cook the rice and Parmesan cheese stirred in.
– No heavy cream, egg yolks, or other high-fat ingredients are used in the sauce or cooking process based on the restaurant’s public recipe.
So while chicken piccata is generally a fresh, light entrée, the breadcrumb coating, risotto, and added ingredients like wine and cheese do increase the calorie count somewhat compared to a very simple preparation.
Calculating Calories in Chicken Ellie’s Piccata
To estimate the calories in a serving of Cooper’s Hawk chicken Ellie’s piccata, we’ll need to look at the calories in each component:
Chicken Breast
According to the USDA, a 6 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast contains approximately:
– 254 calories
– 6g fat
– 0g carbs
– 54g protein
So the chicken breast itself clocks in at just over 250 calories before any cooking method is added.
Breadcrumb Coating
The calorie count of breadcrumbs can vary based on the type and brand, but approximately:
– 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs = 150 calories
– Considering around 2-3 oz chicken will be coated, estimate 50 calories from breading
Lemon Caper Sauce
The creamy lemon sauce adds flavor, but doesn’t contribute a large number of calories. Approximately:
– 2 Tbsp lemon juice = 10 calories
– 2 Tbsp white wine = 20 calories
– 1 Tbsp capers = 5 calories
– 1 Tbsp butter = 100 calories
So around 135 calories total for lemon caper sauce ingredients
Risotto
Again, this will vary based on ingredients but a modest 1/2 cup serving of basic risotto would have:
– 150 calories from rice
– 50 calories from olive oil/butter
– 50 calories from parmesan cheese
So around 250 calories total for risotto side dish
Asparagus
Non-starchy vegetables like asparagus are very low calorie, even when cooked. For approximately 6-8 spears:
– 25 calories
Total Calories
Adding up the estimates for each component:
Chicken breast: | 254 calories |
Breadcrumbs: | 50 calories |
Lemon caper sauce: | 135 calories |
Risotto: | 250 calories |
Asparagus: | 25 calories |
Total: | Approximately 714 calories |
For a 6 oz portion of chicken, the total comes out to around 714 calories. Since the menu lists this as just a 6 oz portion, we can estimate approximately 330 calories in the chicken entrée specifically.
This puts it in the moderate calorie range for a protein-based dinner entrée. Some tips to lighten it up further:
– Request olive oil instead of butter in the sauce
– Opt for steamed veggies instead of risotto
– Ask for sauce on the side and use sparingly
Nutrition Information
To get an exact calorie and nutrient count, check Cooper’s Hawk’s website or ask your server for the nutrition information. The company provides complete nutrition facts for all menu items to help customers make informed choices.
According to the nutrition information on their website, here are the specifics for chicken Ellie’s piccata:
– Serving size: 1 entrée (329g)
– Calories: 330
– Fat: 12g
– Saturated fat: 4g
– Trans fat: 0g
– Carbs: 20g
– Fiber: 2g
– Sugar: 3g
– Protein: 40g
– Cholesterol: 125mg
– Sodium: 720mg
With 40g of protein, this dish provides lean protein to help you feel full. The sodium is a little high at 720mg, but the rest of the nutrition facts are reasonable if you account for the sauce, cheese, and breading when evaluating the calorie and fat contents.
Overall, while not the absolute lowest calorie option, chicken Ellie’s piccata offers a lighter take on chicken piccata compared to versions made with heavy cream or fried cutlets. By selecting healthy side dishes, you can make this entrée work within most calorie goals.
Comparisons to Other Menu Items
To put the 330 calories of chicken Ellie’s piccata in context, here’s how it compares to some other entrée selections on the Cooper’s Hawk menu:
Menu Item | Calories |
---|---|
Chicken Caprese Flatbread | 440 |
Chicken Ellie’s Piccata | 330 |
Chipotle Chicken Tacos | 500 |
Seafood Cobb Salad with Vinaigrette | 440 |
Filet Mignon 7oz | 580 |
Cajun Ribeye 14oz | 1250 |
Compared to flatbreads, tacos, steaks and other entrees, the chicken piccata is on the lighter end for calorie count. Selecting this entrée and sides like fresh vegetables can help create a healthier meal.
Cooking Tips to Further Reduce Calories
If you want to lighten up this dish even more when making it at home, consider these simple substitutions or preparation tips:
– Use cooking spray instead of oil to sauté the chicken and capers
– Choose lower fat milk or broth instead of heavy cream for the sauce
– Skip the step of dredging in flour which adds unnecessary calories from the extra carbohydrates
– Use a squeeze of fresh lemon juice rather than lemon sauce from a jar
– Opt for lower calorie Parmesan or part-skim mozzarella instead of full-fat cheese
– Sauté veggies like zucchini noodles instead of serving risotto
– Finish off the sauce with a tsp of cold butter instead of stirring in whole tablespoons
Taking some of these approaches can remove over 100 calories per serving, putting this ZipList recipe at just over 200 calories for a leaner take on chicken piccata.
Health Benefits of Chicken Piccata Ingredients
While keeping an eye on calorie counts, don’t forget that the individual ingredients in chicken piccata provide valuable nutrients:
Chicken Breast
– High-quality protein needed for muscle repair and function
– B vitamins for energy metabolism
– Selenium, zinc, iron and magnesium
Lemons
– Vitamin C
– Antioxidants that may help fight cell damage
– Aid digestion
Capers
– Provide phytonutrients like quercetin and rutin
– Contain important minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium and vitamin K
Parsley
– Excellent source of vitamin K
– Anti-inflammatory properties
– Contains antioxidant flavonoids
When served with healthy sides like risotto and asparagus, this dish offers a nutritious meal. The lean protein, complex carbs, and variety of vegetables and herbs provide a range of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
While too high in calorie density, the occasional serving of chicken piccata won’t sabotage a healthy diet. Just balance it out with lighter meals focused on produce, lean proteins and whole grains throughout the week.
Conclusion
Chicken Ellie’s piccata from Cooper’s Hawk provides a tasty take on a classic chicken entrée. Made with pan-seared chicken breast coated in crisp panko breadcrumbs and served with a bright lemon caper sauce, it offers satisfying flavor and texture combinations.
Per the nutrition information on Cooper’s Hawk’s website, a 6 oz serving of chicken Ellie’s piccata contains around 330 calories. Compared to some other menu options like flatbreads, tacos and steaks, it lands on the lighter end for calorie counts. However, the coating, sauce and cheese do result in more calories than a simple grilled chicken breast.
By picking healthy side dishes and using cooking tips like choosing leaner ingredients, you can reduce the calorie count further. Overall, chicken piccata is a fresh, protein-focused dish that can be part of a balanced diet when enjoyed in moderation.