Pan-seared chicken cutlets in a bright, buttery lemon-caper sauce, ready in under 30 minutes.
Chicken piccata is a trattoria classic built entirely around one skillet and a fast pan sauce. Thin chicken cutlets are dredged in flour and seared until golden, then set aside while the same pan builds a sauce from white wine, lemon juice, capers, and butter β all deglazed from the browned bits left behind.
Serves 4
Season cutlets with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour, shaking off the excess.
Heat 2 tbsp butter and the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear cutlets 3 minutes per side until golden brown, then transfer to a plate.
Work in batches so the pan stays hot and the chicken browns instead of steaming.
Add the white wine to the hot pan, scraping up the browned bits, and let it reduce by half, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the lemon juice, stock, and capers. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened.
Return the chicken to the pan, swirl in the remaining 2 tbsp butter, and simmer 2 minutes to reheat. Scatter with parsley and serve immediately.
Pound the cutlets to an even 1/2-inch thickness so they cook through without drying out.
Use a dry white wine like Pinot Grigio β anything sweet will throw off the sauce's tang.
Rinse capers briefly if they taste overly briny before adding them to the sauce.
Swap chicken for thin veal cutlets for a more traditional version of the dish.
Add sliced mushrooms to the pan after searing the chicken for an earthier sauce.
Use chicken thighs instead of breast for a richer, more forgiving cut.
Refrigerate for up to 2 days; reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of stock so the sauce doesn't break.
Piccata refers to the Italian technique of slicing meat thin and cooking it quickly in a pan sauce; the lemon-caper version became especially popular in Italian-American restaurants in the mid-20th century and has stayed a staple ever since.
Yes, use olive oil in place of the butter, though the sauce will be slightly less rich and glossy.
The heat was likely too high when you added the butter at the end; lower it and swirl the pan gently rather than stirring vigorously.
Chopped green olives give a similar briny pop if you don't have capers on hand.
Per serving (320g / 11.3 oz) Β· 4 servings total
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