Chicken Piccata with Capers (Printable)
Tender chicken cutlets cooked in a tangy lemon and caper sauce, ideal for a flavorful dinner.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced horizontally into cutlets
02 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ For Sautéing
05 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
→ Sauce
07 - 1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
08 - 1/2 cup chicken broth
09 - 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
10 - 2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
11 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
# Directions:
01 - Place chicken cutlets between two sheets of plastic wrap and gently pound to an even thickness of 1/2 inch.
02 - Combine flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Dredge each cutlet in the mixture, shaking off excess flour.
03 - Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté cutlets 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
04 - Reduce heat to medium and add white wine to skillet, scraping browned bits. Simmer 1 to 2 minutes until reduced by half.
05 - Stir in chicken broth, lemon juice, and capers. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to thicken the sauce slightly.
06 - Return chicken to skillet, spoon sauce over cutlets, and cook 1 to 2 minutes until heated through.
07 - Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter for a smooth finish, if desired.
08 - Sprinkle chopped parsley over chicken and serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Ready in 30 minutes but tastes like you spent hours at the stove.
- The sauce is tangy and alive—capers and lemon do all the heavy lifting.
- Elegant enough for guests, simple enough for a Wednesday night.
02 -
- Pound those cutlets evenly or you'll end up with some pieces cooked through while others are still raw—an even thickness is everything.
- Fresh lemon juice makes all the difference between a bright, memorable dish and something that tastes a little flat and forgettable.
03 -
- If you pound the chicken ahead of time and refrigerate it, you're cutting your cooking time in half when you're ready to eat.
- Never skip deglazing the pan with wine—those browned bits contain all the depth and flavor that makes the sauce unforgettable.