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Chicken Piccata

Chicken piccata is an Italian-American lemon caper chicken with thin, golden cutlets and a bright, silky pan sauce. This easy chicken piccata recipe keeps the sauce glistening and pooling around crispy-edged fillets for a weeknight Italian dinner.
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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 Piccata
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts Halved horizontally to make 8 thin cutlets.
  • 1 salt To taste.
  • 1 pepper To taste.
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour For dredging.
  • 3 tbsp olive oil For pan-frying.
  • 4 tbsp butter Divided; 2 tbsp melted for cooking, 2 tbsp cold to finish the sauce.
  • 4 garlic Cloves, minced.
  • 0.5 cup dry white wine
  • 0.75 cup chicken broth
  • 0.25 cup fresh lemon juice About 2 lemons.
  • 3 tbsp capers Drained.
  • 1 lemon Thinly sliced.
  • 1 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, shaking off the excess so it’s thinly coated.
Sear and cook
  1. Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot, then cook the chicken in batches for 3-4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through; transfer to a plate as each batch finishes.
Build the lemon-caper pan sauce
  1. Add minced garlic to the skillet and cook for 30 seconds, stirring until fragrant and just beginning to color.
  2. Pour in the dry white wine and scrape up the browned bits, then simmer for 2 minutes so the liquid reduces slightly.
  3. Add chicken broth, fresh lemon juice, capers, and lemon slices, then simmer for 4-5 minutes until the sauce reduces by about one third and looks slightly thicker.
Finish and serve
  1. Remove the skillet from heat and swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons cold butter until the sauce turns glossy and smooth.
  2. Return the chicken cutlets to the skillet, spoon the sauce over each, and garnish with chopped fresh parsley for a bright, fresh finish.

Notes

For the best texture, don’t overcrowd the skillet—cook the cutlets in batches so they brown instead of steaming. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of broth to keep the sauce silky (freeze chicken and sauce for up to 2 months, thaw in the fridge). For a gluten-free swap, use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend for dredging.