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Chicken piccata

Capers and lemon make this chicken piccata recipe a winner,
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Keyword chicken
Servings 4 people
Author Wheeler Cowperthwaite

Equipment

  • Heavy-bottomed skillet

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into thin cutlets
  • Salt as needed
  • Pepper as needed
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • Vegetable or olive oil For pan frying
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1 cup chicken broth or stock
  • 2 tablespoons capers rinsed
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 1-2 lemons
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup white wine (optional)
  • 2 tbsp minced parsley (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. This will keep chicken cutlets warm as the sauce is made in the same pan.
  • Cut the chicken breasts into cutlets, about 1/4 of an inch thick. Pat them dry with paper towels.
  • Wash the lemons and cut one of them in half. Then, cut both halves into thin half-moon shaped slices. Either juice the other lemon, for a total of 1/4 to 1/2 cup of lemon juice, or measure out store bought lemon juice.
  • Season the cutlets with salt, pepper and other seasonings as desired.
  • Heat a little vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat.
  • In a medium bowl, dredge two to four cutlets through the flour. When the pan is hot, add them to the pan.
  • Cook for 2 and 1/2 minutes on each side, until lightly browned. Do not crowd them in the pan.
  • When the first batch of cutlets is done, remove them to a baking dish and put them in the preheated oven.
  • Continue dredging and pan frying the cutlets until they have all been cooked, adding oil as required. Remove the cutlets, as they finish, to the pan in the oven.
  • Add the garlic to the pan and, 10 seconds later, add the chicken stock and 1 tablespoon of butter. Simmer until the liquid reduces by a half, around 4-5 minutes.
  • Add the lemon juice, lemon slices, white wine if using and the rinsed capers and continue simmering until the sauce is reduced by half.
  • Add the rest of the butter and stir until melted.
  • Remove the chicken from the oven and pour any juices into the skillet. Add the parsley to the skillet.
  • Taste the sauce and add salt or pepper as required to taste.
  • Pour enough sauce over each cutlet and serve by itself or serve over rice or pasta.

Notes

Chicken Picatta recipe adapted from Cook’s Illustrated.