Go Back

Chicken Piccata

Chicken piccata features thin golden-fried cutlets in a bright lemon-butter-caper pan sauce that glistens and pools around the meat. This easy lemon caper chicken recipe builds flavor with white wine deglazing and finishes with cold butter for a silky texture.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken cutlets
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts Halved horizontally to make 8 thin cutlets.
  • 0.5 tsp salt To taste.
  • 0.5 tsp pepper To taste.
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour Use 1/2 cup for dredging.
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour For dredging (shake off excess).
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter 2 tablespoons for cooking the chicken.
  • 2 tbsp butter 2 tablespoons cold butter for finishing.
Lemon caper pan sauce
  • 4 cloves garlic Minced.
  • 0.5 cup dry white wine
  • 0.75 cup chicken broth Use 3/4 cup.
  • 0.25 cup fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup (about 2 lemons).
  • 3 tbsp capers Drained.
  • 1 lemon Thinly sliced (for adding to the sauce).
  • 3 tbsp fresh parsley Chopped, for garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Dredge the chicken
  1. Season the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper, then dredge lightly in all-purpose flour and shake off the excess.
Cook the cutlets
  1. Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  2. Cook the chicken in batches for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through, then remove to a plate.
Make the lemon-butter-caper sauce
  1. Add garlic to the skillet and cook for 30 seconds, stirring until fragrant.
  2. Pour in dry white wine and scrape up the browned bits from the pan, then simmer for 2 minutes.
  3. Add chicken broth, fresh lemon juice, capers, and lemon slices, then simmer for 4-5 minutes until the sauce reduces by a third.
  4. Remove the skillet from the heat and swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons cold butter until the sauce looks glossy.
Serve
  1. Return the chicken cutlets to the skillet, spoon the sauce over each cutlet, and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Notes

Pro tip: For the most silky sauce, reduce until it coats the back of a spoon, then turn off the heat and swirl in the cold butter off the burner. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet over low heat so the sauce stays glossy. Freezing is not recommended because the lemon-butter sauce can break when thawed. For a lighter option, use half the butter and add a drizzle of olive oil at the end to help keep the pan sauce glossy.