Chicken Piccata with Lemon and Capers
Thin-pounded chicken breasts dredged and pan-fried, then finished in a bright butter-and-caper pan sauce built in the same skillet.
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Written
Method
-
Season the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper, then dredge each in flour, shaking off the excess.
-
Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
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Cook the cutlets in batches until deeply golden, 3-4 minutes a side, then transfer to a plate.
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Add the garlic to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
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Pour in the wine, scraping up the browned bits, and let it bubble until reduced by half.
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Stir in the broth, lemon juice, and capers, and simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly.
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Swirl in the remaining butter off the heat until the sauce turns glossy.
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Return the chicken to the skillet along with any collected juices, spooning sauce over top to warm through.
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Scatter with parsley just before serving.
Notes
The dredge is doing more than crisping the outside — the flour that stays behind in the skillet is what thickens the sauce once the wine and broth hit it. Skip it and you’ve got a thin, sharp puddle instead of something that clings to the chicken.
No dry white wine on hand, use dry vermouth — it keeps longer in the cabinet anyway and nobody will taste the difference. Serve over egg noodles or with crusty bread to catch the extra sauce.