Chicken Piccata with Capers and Lemon (Printable)
Tender chicken cutlets in a tangy lemon-butter sauce with briny capers. An elegant Italian-American dish ready in 30 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved horizontally
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour for dredging
→ Cooking
05 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
→ Sauce
07 - 1/2 cup dry white wine or low-sodium chicken broth
08 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
09 - 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
10 - 2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
11 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
12 - Lemon slices for garnish
# How to Make It:
01 - Pound chicken breasts to even 1/2-inch thickness between plastic wrap. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
02 - Dredge each chicken piece lightly in flour, shaking off excess thoroughly.
03 - Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to plate and tent with foil.
04 - Lower heat to medium. Pour wine into skillet, scraping up browned bits. Simmer 2 minutes until slightly reduced.
05 - Stir in chicken broth, lemon juice, and capers. Simmer 3 minutes until sauce reduces by approximately half.
06 - Return chicken to pan and simmer 2 minutes, spooning sauce over chicken.
07 - Remove from heat. Stir in remaining butter and fresh parsley.
08 - Plate immediately and garnish with lemon slices and additional parsley.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sauce has this magical balance of bright lemon and salty capers that transforms ordinary chicken into something restaurant-worthy without any fancy techniques.
- You can pull this together in 30 minutes flat, making it perfect for those evenings when you want something that feels special but dont have hours to spend in the kitchen.
02 -
- After ruining three batches, I learned that adding the final tablespoon of butter off the heat is crucial - if the pan is too hot, the sauce will break and look oily instead of silky smooth.
- Dont rush the reduction process - those few extra minutes of simmering concentrate the flavors and create the perfect sauce consistency that will cling to your chicken rather than running off onto the plate.
03 -
- For an even more intense lemon flavor, add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the sauce along with the juice, being careful to avoid the bitter white pith when zesting.
- The chicken should sizzle when it hits the pan, but if its too loud, your heat is too high - you want a steady, moderate sizzle that indicates proper browning without burning.