Quick & Classic Chicken Piccata with Lemon-Butter Caper Sauce
Make a delicious and Quick Chicken Piccata! This easy recipe features thinly pounded chicken breasts pan-fried until golden, served with a zesty lemon-butter caper sauce.
Ingredients
(Original recipe yields 4 servings)
Chicken:
- ▢ 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (approx. 6-8 oz each)
- ▢ Cayenne pepper to taste (start with a pinch or 1/8 tsp)
- ▢ Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- ▢ Approx. 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (for dredging)
- ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
Lemon-Butter Caper Sauce:
- ▢ 1 tablespoon capers, drained
- ▢ ½ cup dry white wine (or chicken broth)
- ▢ ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ▢ ¼ cup water
- ▢ 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch slices
- ▢ 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
Instructions
. Prepare the Chicken:
- Place one chicken breast half at a time between two sheets of heavy plastic wrap or inside a large Ziploc bag on a solid, level surface.
- Using the smooth side of a meat mallet or tenderizer, firmly pound the chicken breasts until they are an even 1/2-inch thickness. Pounding not only tenderizes but also ensures quick and even cooking.
- Pat the pounded chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with cayenne pepper (to taste), salt, and ground black pepper.
- Place the all-purpose flour in a shallow dish. Lightly dredge each seasoned chicken breast in the flour, ensuring a thin, even coating. Gently shake off any excess flour.
2. Sear the Chicken:
- Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering.
- Carefully place the floured chicken breasts in the hot skillet (do not overcrowd; cook in batches if necessary).
- Reduce the heat to medium. Cook for about 5 minutes per side, or until the chicken is nicely golden brown on both sides and cooked through (internal temperature should reach 165°F/74°C).
- Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and set aside (tent loosely with foil to keep warm if desired).
3. Start the Pan Sauce:
- In the same skillet used for the chicken (do not wipe it out!), add the drained capers to the reserved oil and pan drippings over medium heat.
- Cook the capers for about 30 seconds, smashing them lightly with the back of a spoon as they warm to help release their brine and flavor.
- Pour the white wine into the skillet. Bring it to a boil while scraping the browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon – these bits are packed with flavor!
- Let the wine boil and cook until it has reduced by about half, which should take approximately 2 minutes.
4. Finish the Lemon-Butter Caper Sauce:
- Stir the fresh lemon juice and water into the reduced wine mixture in the skillet. Bring back to a gentle simmer.
- Reduce the heat to very low (or remove from heat briefly). Add the cold, sliced unsalted butter, one or two pieces at a time, whisking or swirling the pan constantly until the butter melts and emulsifies into the sauce, creating a smooth, slightly thickened consistency. Continue adding butter pieces until all are incorporated.
- Stir the chopped fresh Italian parsley into the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
5. Combine Chicken with Sauce and Serve:
- Return the cooked chicken breasts (and any accumulated juices from the plate) to the skillet with the pan sauce.
- Let the chicken cook gently in the sauce for just 1 to 2 minutes, spooning some sauce over the top, until heated through.
- Serve the Chicken Piccata immediately, with generous spoonfuls of the lemon-butter caper sauce spooned over each chicken breast. Enjoy!