Easy Chicken Piccata Recipe with Lemon-Caper Sauce
shared by Nibblore Kitchen
This quick chicken piccata pairs tender, golden cutlets with a bright pan sauce of lemon, butter, capers, and chicken stock. Lightly flouring the chicken encourages even browning while giving the sauce just enough body. Serve it with pasta, roasted potatoes, or crusty bread for an easy weeknight dinner. • Use cutlets of even thickness so they brown quickly without drying out. • Rinsing the capers removes excess brine and keeps the sauce bright rather than overly salty. • If the pan is crowded, cook the chicken in batches as directed; crowding traps steam and prevents browning. • Keep the heat low while swirling in the final butter so the sauce stays smooth and emulsified. • Use four ready-cut chicken cutlets instead of slicing and pounding whole breasts. • Replace chicken stock with a low-sodium vegetable stock for a slightly lighter sauce. • Use clarified butter for searing, but finish the sauce with regular unsalted butter for the best texture. • For a gluten-free version, replace the all-purpose flour with an equal amount of fine rice flour and verify that the stock and capers are certified gluten-free. Refrigerate the chicken and sauce together in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a covered skillet over low heat with 1 to 2 tablespoons of chicken stock until the chicken reaches 74°C; avoid boiling, which can split the butter sauce. Freezing is not recommended because the sauce may separate and the chicken can become dry.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Beginner-friendly
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Save to my cookbook — freeIngredients
- 680 gboneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tspkosher salt
- ½ tspblack pepper, freshly ground
- 60 gall-purpose flour
- 2 tbspextra-virgin olive oil
- 4 tbspunsalted butter, divided
- 2 clovegarlic, finely chopped
- 180 mllow-sodium chicken stock
- 1 tsplemon zest, finely grated
- 60 mllemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 3 tbspcapers, drained and rinsed
- 2 tbspflat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1lemon, thinly sliced for serving
Instructions
- 1Slice each chicken breast horizontally into two thin cutlets. Place the cutlets between sheets of parchment paper and pound the thicker areas until every piece is about 6 mm thick. Pat dry, then season both sides with the salt and black pepper.
- 2Spread the flour in a shallow dish. Dredge each cutlet lightly in flour, shaking off all loose excess so it does not burn in the pan.
- 3Heat a 30 cm heavy skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. When the butter foams, add half the chicken in a single layer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden and the thickest part reaches 74°C. Transfer to a plate. Add 1 tablespoon butter and repeat with the remaining chicken, reducing the heat if the browned bits begin to darken.
- 4Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the garlic to the empty skillet and stir for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Pour in the chicken stock and scrape up the browned bits with a wooden spoon. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until reduced by about one-third.
- 5Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and capers. Simmer for 1 minute, then reduce the heat to low. Swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, one piece at a time, until the sauce is glossy. Do not let it boil after adding the butter.
- 6Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Turn the cutlets in the sauce and warm gently for 1 to 2 minutes. Taste the sauce and adjust with a small pinch of salt or an extra squeeze of lemon if needed.
- 7Transfer the chicken to plates, spoon the lemon-caper sauce over it, and finish with parsley and lemon slices. Serve immediately.