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Chicken Piccata

Chicken piccata features thin golden cutlets in a silky lemon-butter-caper pan sauce that glistens and pools around the chicken. This easy chicken piccata recipe sears quickly, simmers a quick wine-lemon pan sauce, then finishes with cold butter for a glossy finish.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 4 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts Halved horizontally to make 8 thin cutlets.
  • 1 salt and pepper to taste; season the cutlets.
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour Dredge lightly and shake off excess.
Piccata Sauce
  • 3 tbsp olive oil Used for searing.
  • 4 tbsp butter Divided; use 2 tbsp for searing and 2 tbsp for finishing.
  • 4 clove garlic Minced.
  • 0.5 cup dry white wine For deglazing and flavor.
  • 0.75 cup chicken broth For the pan sauce base.
  • 0.25 cup fresh lemon juice About 2 lemons.
  • 3 tbsp capers Drained.
  • 1 count lemon Thinly sliced.
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley Chopped, for garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Dredge and season the cutlets
  1. Season the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper and dredge lightly in all-purpose flour, shaking off the excess so the surface looks lightly coated.
Sear the chicken
  1. Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering, then add chicken cutlets in batches and cook 3-4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through; remove and set aside.
Make the wine base
  1. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds, then pour in the dry white wine and scrape up the browned bits from the pan.
  2. Simmer the wine mixture for 2 minutes until slightly reduced and more fragrant, with small bubbles across the surface.
Simmer the lemon-caper sauce
  1. Add chicken broth, fresh lemon juice, drained capers, and thin lemon slices, then simmer for 4-5 minutes until the sauce reduces by about a third and looks glossy and lightly thickened.
Finish and serve
  1. Remove the skillet from heat and swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of cold butter until the sauce turns glossy with a silky sheen.
  2. Return the chicken to the skillet, spoon the lemon-caper pan sauce over each cutlet, and garnish with chopped fresh parsley right before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: use thin, even cutlets so they cook quickly and stay tender—if they’re thicker than 1/2 inch, pound slightly to match. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of broth or water so the sauce doesn’t break. Freezing is not recommended for best sauce texture. For a lighter option, use half the butter for finishing and replace the rest with an extra splash of chicken broth while keeping the sauce glossy at the end.