Description
This Chicken Piccata recipe is an Italian classic featuring tender pan-fried chicken cutlets served in a tangy lemon, butter, and caper sauce. It’s a quick and easy dish perfect for weeknight dinners or special occasions, delivering restaurant-quality flavors right from your own skillet.
Ingredients
Chicken and Coating
- 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste
Cooking and Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 5 Tablespoons butter, divided
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- ⅓ cup chicken stock
- 2 Tablespoons brined capers, drained and rinsed
- ⅓ cup heavy cream (more if desired)
For Garnish and Serving
- Freshly chopped parsley (optional)
- Parmesan cheese (optional)
- Linguini or angel hair pasta, or mashed potatoes for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally to make 4 equal thin fillets. Place them in a zip-top bag and gently pound with a meat tenderizer until evenly thin to ensure quick, uniform cooking.
- Coat the chicken: In a shallow dish, whisk together flour, salt, and pepper. Dredge each chicken fillet in this mixture, coating evenly and shaking off excess flour to avoid clumping.
- Cook the chicken: Heat olive oil and 3 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken fillets and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side until golden brown and fully cooked through. If the skillet is small, cook in batches. Transfer cooked chicken to a serving platter using tongs.
- Make the sauce: In the same skillet, add lemon juice, chicken stock, the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and rinsed capers. Bring to a boil while scraping any browned bits from the pan for additional flavor. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Finish the sauce: Remove the skillet from heat and whisk in the heavy cream until the sauce is smooth. Return to heat and simmer until the sauce slightly thickens.
- Combine and serve: Add the chicken back into the skillet to warm through for a couple more minutes in the sauce. Serve the chicken piccata over linguini, angel hair pasta, or mashed potatoes. Garnish with chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Notes
- For a thicker sauce, simmer it longer before adding cream.
- Adjust lemon juice to taste for more or less acidity.
- Use fresh parsley and Parmigiano-Reggiano for authentic garnish flavors.
- Chicken stock can be substituted with vegetable stock for a lighter flavor.
- Thin chicken fillets cook quickly; pounding ensures even thickness and tenderness.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
