Chicken Piccata
Golden chicken cutlets sit in a generous lemon-caper sauce, with their browned tops left visible above the skillet. This version adds a little cream for a pale, lightly creamy sauce; lemon, capers, and butter remain the main flavors.
Flatten the cutlets evenly and sear them in batches so they brown without drying out. The sauce comes together in the same skillet, using the browned bits left by the chicken.
Ingredients for Chicken Piccata
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into 4 broad cutlets (680g)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more only after tasting
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging (40g)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided as needed
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 2 fresh lemons; use about 2 tablespoons juice and cut the remainder into large wedges
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained (about 20g)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces (about 40g)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Time: 15 minutes prep, 25 minutes cook, 40 minutes total. Servings: 4.
How to Make Chicken Piccata
- Prepare the cutlets: Flatten the four cutlets between sheets of plastic wrap or inside a reusable bag to an even 1/3- to 1/2-inch thickness. Pat them dry and season with the salt and pepper.
- Dredge lightly: Spread the flour on a shallow plate. Coat each cutlet in a thin layer and shake off the excess. Discard any unused flour.
- Sear in batches: Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough of the olive oil to coat the pan; when it shimmers, add the cutlets with space between them. Cook in two batches if needed, adding more of the measured oil if the pan becomes dry. Leave the chicken undisturbed until the first side browns, beginning to check after about 3 minutes. Turn once and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes per side, lowering the heat slightly if the flour scorches. The cutlets should be golden with darker browned spots and reach 165°F (75°C) in their thickest parts. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
- Deglaze and reduce: Reduce the heat to medium. Pour in the wine and scrape up the browned bits. Simmer briefly, then add the broth. Simmer uncovered until the liquid has reduced somewhat, about 3 to 4 minutes total. Do not let the skillet cook dry.
- Finish the sauce: Turn the heat to low and stir in the cream. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes, until the sauce lightly coats a spoon but still flows easily. Stir in the 2 tablespoons lemon juice and the drained capers. Remove from the heat and swirl in the butter until glossy. Taste before adding more salt or lemon.
- Return and garnish: Nestle the intact cutlets into the sauce and spoon a little over each, leaving some browned surface exposed. Warm briefly over low heat only if needed; do not hard-boil the sauce. Scatter with parsley, tuck the lemon wedges between the cutlets, and serve from the skillet.
How Thin Should the Chicken Be?
Aim for an even 1/3 to 1/2 inch. Thin ends can dry out before a thicker center cooks through, so thickness matters more than an exact number of minutes per side. Check each cutlet in its thickest part as the second side finishes. If your skillet cannot hold all four without crowding, cook in batches so the chicken browns instead of steaming.
How to Keep the Sauce Smooth and Bright
Reduce the wine and broth before adding cream. Once the cream goes in, use gentle heat; add the lemon near the end and swirl in the butter off heat. A hard boil after those additions can make the sauce grainy or separated.
The finished sauce should lightly coat a spoon while remaining loose enough to pool around the chicken. Drained capers and low-sodium broth help keep it from becoming too salty; taste the assembled sauce before adjusting the salt or lemon.
Chicken Piccata Variations
Without wine: Replace the wine with an equal amount of low-sodium chicken broth. The flavor will differ, so taste before adjusting the lemon.
Without cream: Omit the cream and add a little more broth. Reduce the sauce until it lightly coats a spoon before finishing with butter. It will be less pale and creamy than the main version.
Gluten-free dredge: Use a suitable gluten-free flour in place of the all-purpose flour. Browning and sauce thickness may vary.
Serving and Leftovers
Serve the cutlets straight from the skillet, with pasta, rice, or warm bread alongside to catch the sauce. For another bright chicken dinner, try Chicken Scampi with Garlic Parmesan Rice.
To prep ahead, cut and flatten the chicken, keep it refrigerated, and dredge it just before searing. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container within 2 hours and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently in a covered skillet over low heat, adding a splash of broth if needed. Heat the chicken thoroughly without vigorously boiling the sauce. Freezing the assembled dish is not preferred because the sauce may separate after thawing.
Nutrition
Approximate per serving, based on 4 servings: 460 calories, 40g protein, 27g fat, and 9g carbohydrates. Approximate per 100g of finished dish: 190 calories, 16g protein, 11g fat, and 4g carbohydrates. Values vary with the amount of flour and oil retained and how much the sauce reduces.
Equipment
- 12-inch skillet
- Shallow plate
- Plastic wrap or reusable bag
- Meat thermometer
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into 4 broad cutlets (680 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging (40 g)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided as needed
For the Sauce and Garnish
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 2 fresh lemons, about 2 tablespoons juice plus the remainder cut into large wedges
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained (about 20 g)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces (about 40 g)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- Flatten the cutlets between sheets of plastic wrap or inside a reusable bag to an even 1/3- to 1/2-inch thickness. Pat dry and season with the salt and pepper.
- Spread the flour on a shallow plate. Coat each cutlet lightly, shake off the excess, and discard unused flour.
- Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough olive oil to coat the pan.
- When the oil shimmers, add the cutlets without crowding the pan. Cook in batches if needed, adding more of the measured oil if the pan becomes dry.
- Cook the chicken undisturbed until browned, beginning to check after about 3 minutes. Turn once and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes per side, lowering the heat slightly if the flour scorches. Check that the thickest parts reach 165°F (75°C). Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Pour in the wine and scrape up the browned bits. Simmer briefly, then add the broth and simmer uncovered until somewhat reduced, about 3 to 4 minutes total. Do not let the skillet cook dry.
- Turn the heat to low and stir in the cream. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes, until the sauce lightly coats a spoon but still flows easily.
- Stir in the lemon juice and drained capers. Remove the skillet from the heat and swirl in the butter until glossy. Taste before adding more salt or lemon.
- Nestle the cutlets into the sauce and spoon a little sauce over each, leaving some browned surface exposed. Warm briefly over low heat if needed, without boiling the sauce.
- Scatter the parsley over the chicken, tuck the lemon wedges between the cutlets, and serve from the skillet.
Tips
- Flatten the cutlets to an even thickness so the thin ends do not dry out before the centers cook.
- Sear the chicken in batches if needed to prevent crowding and steaming.
- Check each cutlet in its thickest part and cook to 165°F (75°C).
- Reduce the wine and broth before adding the cream.
- Use gentle heat after adding the cream and lemon, and swirl in the butter off the heat to help keep the sauce smooth.
- Taste the finished sauce before adding salt or more lemon; capers and broth can affect its seasoning.
Variations
- Without Wine: Replace the wine with an equal amount of low-sodium chicken broth, then taste before adjusting the lemon.
- Without Cream: Omit the cream, add a little more broth, and reduce the sauce until it lightly coats a spoon before finishing with butter.
- Gluten-Free Dredge: Use a suitable gluten-free flour in place of the all-purpose flour; browning and sauce thickness may vary.