Description
Chicken piccata is proof that you can make a restaurant-quality Italian dinner in under twenty minutes. Thin chicken cutlets dredged in flour, pan-fried until golden, then sauced with lemon, butter, capers, and white wine. The sauce is bright and briny, the chicken is tender, and the whole thing sits beautifully on a bed of angel hair or mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons capers, drained
- 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- Lemon slices for garnish
Instructions
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge lightly in flour, shaking off excess.
- Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken 3 minutes per side until golden. Remove to a plate.
- Add the wine to the skillet, scraping up fond. Let it reduce by half, about 2 minutes.
- Add the lemon juice, broth, and capers. Simmer 3 minutes until the sauce reduces slightly.
- Swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to create a glossy, emulsified sauce.
- Return the chicken to the pan, spooning sauce over the cutlets. Garnish with parsley and lemon slices.
Notes
- Pounding the chicken thin is essential — thick pieces will not cook through in the time it takes to build a golden crust.
- The final butter swirl off the heat creates the glossy, restaurant-quality sauce. Do not skip it.
- Capers add the salty, briny punch that defines piccata. Drain them well so they do not add excess liquid.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 1
- Sodium: 720
- Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 14
- Protein: 38
- Cholesterol: 120