Chicken Piccata
Thin chicken cutlets, golden and pan-fried, finished in a bright lemon-caper butter sauce that comes together in minutes.
Ingredients
- 4 largeboneless, skinless chicken breasts(about 2 lb total)
- ½ tspkosher salt
- ¼ tspblack pepper(freshly ground)
- ½ cupall-purpose flour(for dredging)
- 4 tbspolive oil(divided)
- 4 tbspunsalted butter(divided)
- 3 clovesgarlic(thinly sliced)
- ½ cupdry white wine(such as Pinot Grigio)
- ½ cupchicken stock
- 3 tbspfresh lemon juice(from about 2 lemons)
- 1lemon(thinly sliced into rounds)
- 3 tbspcapers(drained)
- 2 tbspfresh flat-leaf parsley(roughly chopped)
Method
- 01
Slice each chicken breast in half horizontally to make 8 thin cutlets. Place between sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even 1/4-inch thickness.
- 02
Season both sides of the cutlets with the ½ tsp kosher salt and ¼ tsp black pepper.
- 03
Spread the ½ cup all-purpose flour in a shallow dish. Dredge each cutlet in the flour, shaking off any excess — a thin, even coat is all you need.
- 04
Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil and 1 tbsp of the unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the butter foams and subsides.
- 05
Add 4 cutlets in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 3 minutes until golden brown. Flip and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
- 06
Add the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp unsalted butter to the pan and repeat with the remaining 4 cutlets. Transfer to the plate.
- 07
Reduce heat to medium. Add the 3 cloves garlic to the drippings and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
- 08
Pour in the ½ cup dry white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 2 minutes until reduced by half.
- 09
Add the ½ cup chicken stock, 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice, and the lemon rounds. Simmer for 3 minutes until the sauce is slightly reduced.
- 10
Stir in the 3 tbsp capers and the remaining 2 tbsp unsalted butter, swirling the pan until the butter is fully melted and the sauce looks glossy.
- 11
Return the chicken cutlets and any resting juices to the pan. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, spooning the sauce over the cutlets, until heated through.
- 12
Scatter the 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley over the top and serve immediately, with the pan sauce spooned generously over each portion.
Adapted from public domain & community sources