Chicken Piccata
Easy homemade chicken piccata with golden cutlets in a silky lemon-butter caper sauce – ready in 35 mins and so good it tastes nothing like a weeknight dinner.
Equipment
- Large Skillet, Cast Iron or Sauté Skillet
- Shallow Bowl or Plate(for dredging)
- Meat Mallet or Rolling Pin
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- Tongs
- Zester
- Instant-read Thermometer(optional but recommended)
Ingredients
Chicken
- Chicken Breasts(boneless skinless, about 1 ¼ lb)2 pcs
- Salt½ tsp
- Black Pepper½ tsp
- All-purpose Flour(divided)⅓ cup
- Olive Oil(divided)2 tbsp
- Unsalted Butter(divided)3 tbsp
Chicken Piccata Sauce
- Chicken Broth or Stock(low sodium, or dry white wine)1 cup
- Lemon Juice(freshly squeezed)1 tbsp
- Lemon Zest1 tsp
- Capers(drained and rinsed if very salty)3 tbsp
- Fresh Parsley(chopped, optional for garnish)2 tbsp
Instructions
- Slice each chicken breast lengthwise into 2 thinner cutlets. If your chicken breasts have the tenderloins attached, pull them away first, then slice main breasts. Pat the chicken very dry with paper towels, then place in a large zip bag or between sheets of plastic wrap and gently pound to an even ¼ inch thickness. Season on both sides with salt and black pepper.
- Add the flour to a shallow bowl, setting aside 1 tbsp for the sauce. Coat each cutlet lightly on both sides, then shake off all excess. The coating should be thin and even, not heavy.
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter melts and begins to sizzle, add the chicken in a single layer, working in batches – do not overcrowd the skillet. Cook for 2-4 minutes per side until deep golden, or until it reaches 165°F at the thickest part. Transfer to a plate, add another 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter, and repeat until all the chicken is seared.
- While the chicken sears, zest and juice the lemon.
- Once all the chicken is done, lower the heat to medium and melt the remaining butter in the same skillet. Whisk in the reserved 1 tbsp flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the broth, lemon juice, zest, and capers, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Simmer for 1-2 minutes until lightly thickened, then taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
- Return the chicken to the skillet. Spoon the sauce over the cutlets and simmer gently for 1-2 minutes until the chicken is heated through. Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon slices if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Dry the chicken thoroughly. Any moisture left on the surface before dredging will prevent the flour from sticking evenly, leaving you with patchy spots that steam instead of brown.
- Go light on the flour. A thin, even coat is all you need – too much and it turns pasty in the sauce rather than giving it that clean, silky finish.
- Reserve that tablespoon of flour. Whisking it into the butter before adding the liquid is what transforms the sauce from thin and flat into something that actually clings to the chicken.
- Get the pan hot enough first. Wait until the oil shimmers and the butter foams before adding the chicken – that first contact sizzle tells you the temperature is where it needs to be.
- Give the chicken space. Too many pieces in the skillet at once and you lose the heat needed for browning. Cook in batches and leave each cutlet room to sear properly – I know it's tempting to fit it all in at once, but trust me on this one.
- Always taste the sauce before the chicken goes back in. That's your last real chance to adjust it up to your taste. If it feels a bit sharp for you, add a little cold butter to smooth it out. If it a bit salty (some capers are too salty), a splash of broth or a pinch of sugar tones down saltiness. If sauce feels a bit thin, just let an extra minute of simmering takes care of a thin consistency.
- Always taste the sauce before the chicken goes back in. That's your last real chance to get it exactly where you want it. If it tastes a little sharp, a small knob of cold butter will smooth it out. If it's too salty – and some capers really are – a splash of broth or a tiny pinch of sugar helps balance it. And if it feels thinner than you'd like, just give it another minute of simmering.
- Don't skip the zest. Lemon juice alone makes the sauce acidic – zest is what makes it taste genuinely bright and layered rather than just sour. I almost always add a little extra.
Nutrition Information
Serving Size: 175 g
| PER SERVING | AVG. QTY* | %DV** |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 324 kcal | 16% |
| Protein | 33 g | 66% |
| Fat | 18.3 g | 28% |
| Saturated | 7 g | 35% |
| Unsaturated | 11 g | 28% |
| Trans | 0.3 g | |
| Carbohydrate | 4 g | 1% |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g | 4% |
| Sodium | 655 mg | 28% |
| Cholesterol | 125 mg | 42% |
* Nutritional values are approximate and provided for general guidance only. Actual values may vary depending on ingredients and exact quantities used.
** Percent Daily Values are calculated based on a standard 2,000-calorie daily diet. Individual nutritional needs may differ depending on personal calorie requirements.
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