Chicken Piccata Lemon Butter (Printable)
Tender chicken breasts cooked in lemon butter sauce with capers, delivering a bright and savory flavor.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - Kosher salt, to taste
03 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
04 - ½ cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
→ For Sautéing
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
→ Sauce
07 - ⅓ cup dry white wine or chicken broth
08 - ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
09 - ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
10 - 2 tablespoons drained and rinsed capers
11 - 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
→ Optional Garnish
13 - Lemon slices
# Steps:
01 - Slice each chicken breast horizontally to create 4 thin cutlets. Place between two sheets of plastic wrap and gently pound to an even ½-inch thickness. Season both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - Coat the chicken cutlets in all-purpose flour, shaking off any excess.
03 - Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken cutlets and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
04 - Pour dry white wine into the skillet and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Simmer for 1 minute.
05 - Add low-sodium chicken broth, fresh lemon juice, and capers to the skillet. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly reduced.
06 - Reduce heat to low and whisk in cold unsalted butter pieces until the sauce is glossy. Return the chicken to the skillet, spoon sauce over each cutlet, and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes to reheat.
07 - Plate the chicken cutlets, spoon sauce generously over them, sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley, and garnish with lemon slices if desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It tastes like you've been cooking for hours, but your whole dinner is ready in half that time.
- The sauce is pure comfort—buttery, tangy, and the kind of thing you'll find yourself scraping off the plate.
02 -
- Don't skip pounding the chicken to even thickness—one thick piece will stay raw while the thin one dries out.
- That cold butter at the end isn't just for richness; it's what turns a thin sauce into something that clings to every bite.
03 -
- Add a tiny pinch of garlic to the pan when you're sautéing the chicken for an extra whisper of depth.
- If you don't have wine, chicken broth works fine—the dish will be slightly less complex but still delicious.