Pheasant Piccata

This fresh pheasant piccata has all the flavors of your favorite piccata dish. Lean pheasant breasts, dredged in a light flour coating, and then sautéed with a delicious buttery lemon caper sauce.

We recently enjoyed a weekend of upland bird hunting in the Flint Hills of Kansas and came home with a nice harvest of pheasants to enjoy on the table – a real field to fork adventure! Pheasants are a very lean bird, so finding just the right recipe is essential. This pheasant piccata is perfect for the small, thin breasts of a pheasant. The robust flavors of the butter lemon-caper sauce also help bring forth delicious flavors with this otherwise bland lean meat.

Ingredients needed

• 10 pheasant breasts
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1/3 cup flour
• 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter – divided
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 Tbsp. capers
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 lemon – sliced

How to make pheasant piccata

• 

• 

• 

1. First, if the breasts haven’t been removed from the birds, you’ll need to slice the pheasant breasts off of the bone. You’ll get two breasts per bird. This video demonstrates how to breast a pheasant if needed. Once you have the thinly-sliced pheasant breasts, season both sides with the salt and pepper.
2. Next, heat 2 Tbsp. of butter and 2 Tbsp. of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
3. Once the butter has melted, dredge the breasts in the flour to lightly coat both sides and then place into the skillet. Sauté over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. You will most likely need to cook the breasts in two batches because you don’t want to overcrowd the pan. Once the first batch has cooked, remove from the skillet and place them onto a plate and keep in a warm spot with a foil tent over the top to keep them warm.
4. Once all of the pheasant breasts have cooked, deglaze the heated skillet by adding the chicken broth, white wine, butter, lemon slices, and capers to the skillet. Scrape the pan as you stir to deglaze the pan fully and let simmer for about 3 minutes.
5. Place the cooked pheasant breasts onto a serving platter and spoon the buttery lemon-caper sauce over the breasts. Serve immediately with pasta or mashed potatoes.

Recipe FAQs and Variations

What does pheasant taste like?

Pheasant tastes much like chicken, but is very lean. My family also noted they have a taste and texture very similar to pork chops, too. Pheasant are a combination of white and dark meat.

How long should pheasant be cooked?

You want to the internal temperature of the pheasant to reach a safe 165 degrees F. Because they are very lean birds, they can quickly become dry so be sure to watch the temperature closely. I’ll share my favorite instant-read thermometer below that makes checking meat temperatures easy.

Is pheasant healthy for you?

In comparison to chicken, turkey, or beef, pheasant is lower in total fat and cholesterol. Pheasant is also loaded with protein, Vitamin B, and potassium.

Recipe variations

• If you do not have enough pheasant breasts, you can always use thinly-sliced chicken breasts to supplement.
• For a gluten-free version, use a gluten-free flour for the dredge or tapioca flour or arrowroot starch.

Kitchen tools for this recipe

Primal Pioneer participates in the Amazon affiliate program. Please see my affiliate disclaimer. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Make it a meal with these additional recipes!

• Mashed Parmesan Potatoes – we served our pheasant piccata with this mashed potato recipe
• Serve with a side of roasted asparagus, or honey caramelized brussel sprouts

Enjoy these other wild game recipes!

• Easy Elk Enchiladas – an easy yet flavorful weeknight wild game dinner
• Venison Reuben Sandwich – not sure what to do with your venison roast? Try making corned venison for these venison reuben sandwiches!
• Elk Swedish Meatballs – another elevated wild game dish