Description
This classic Chicken Piccata recipe features tender, pan-seared chicken breasts served in a tangy lemon-caper sauce. The dish is cooked in a skillet, creating a flavorful sauce by deglazing with white wine and finishing with butter. Served over pasta and garnished with fresh parsley, this meal is a perfect balance of bright citrus, savory chicken, and silky sauce, ready in under an hour.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut in half horizontally, 4 pieces total)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Cooking Fats and Aromatics
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided, ¾ stick)
- 5 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
- ¼ cup diced onion
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
Sauce Ingredients
- ¼ cup white wine
- ¾ cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 lemon (juiced and zested)
- 3 tablespoons capers (rinsed)
Additional
- Chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
- 8 ounces cooked pasta (½ box)
Instructions
- Prepare chicken: Line a plate with paper towels and set aside. Place the flour in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Cut each chicken breast horizontally into two pieces, then pound each piece to an even ½-inch thickness. Season both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Dredge chicken: Coat each piece of chicken evenly with flour, shaking off any excess to avoid clumping.
- Brown chicken: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons of olive oil until sizzling. Add two chicken pieces and cook for 3 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer cooked chicken to the paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining chicken using the same fats.
- Sauté aromatics: In the now-empty skillet, add diced onion and minced garlic. Sauté for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and softened, taking care not to burn the garlic.
- Deglaze skillet: Pour in the white wine to deglaze, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom. Allow the wine to reduce by half, about 1 minute.
- Add liquids and capers: Stir in the low sodium chicken broth, lemon juice and zest, and rinsed capers. Bring the mixture to a low boil.
- Finish sauce: Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and whisk vigorously until the butter is fully melted and the sauce is silky.
- Simmer chicken in sauce: Return the browned chicken pieces to the skillet. Simmer gently until the chicken is warmed through and has absorbed some sauce flavor, about 5 minutes.
- Serve: Plate the cooked pasta, top with the chicken and spoon generous amounts of lemon-caper sauce over everything. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
- For best results, pound chicken evenly to ensure uniform cooking.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can simmer a bit longer to reduce further.
- White wine in the sauce can be substituted with additional chicken broth if desired.
- This dish pairs well with a simple green salad or steamed vegetables.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop.
