Get the Recipe: Classic Chicken Piccata
Boneless chicken breast cutlets pan-fried until golden and served with a lemon and caper sauce. A classic chicken dish that is delicious and ready in just 30 minutes, too!
Ingredients
- 1 large fresh lemons
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets, *see Note 1 below
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2-3 Tablespoons vegetable oil, or similar cooking oil
For the piccata sauce:
- 1/2 small shallot, finely diced or 2 Tbsp finely diced onion combined with 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1-2 Tablespoons capers, drained
- 2 Tablespoons cold butter
- 1-2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped or 1-2 teaspoons of dried parsley
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 200F. (to keep the chicken warm after pan-frying)
- Cut the lemon in half lengthwise. Juice one half of the lemon to yield the 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice needed for the sauce, and set aside. Trim the ends off the other half lemon, then cut it in half lengthwise. Cut into 1/4-inch thick slices and set aside.
- Prepare the chicken: Trim the tenderloin piece from the 3 boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets (*see Note 1 below) (see the step-by-step photos) and retain it for another use (makes great chicken strips!). Place the chicken cutlets onto a cutting board and cover loosely with a sheet of plastic wrap. Use a meat mallet (using the flat side, not the tenderizer side) or a rolling pin to pound the chicken pieces into an even 1/2-inch thickness. Set aside.
- Add the 1/4 cup all-purpose flour to a plate and season with salt and freshly ground pepper, and stir to mix. Set aside.
- Heat the 2-3 Tablespoons vegetable oil (or similar cooking oil) in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Cook the chicken: When the oil is shimmering, coat both sides of the prepared chicken with the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess flour. Add to the hot oil in the skillet. Cook the chicken until lightly browned underneath, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, then flip and cook the second side until lightly browned, another 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Remove the chicken to a heat-proof plate (or baking sheet) and place into the preheated oven to keep warm while you prepare the sauce.
- Make the sauce: Reduce the heat under the now-empty skillet to medium and add the 1/2 small shallot (finely diced or 2 Tbsp finely diced onion combined with 1 clove of garlic, minced). Cook, stirring, until just softened, about 30 seconds. *if using the onion/garlic substitute, add the onion first and cook for 30 seconds, then add the garlic and cook for a further 15 seconds.
- Add the 1/2 cup chicken broth to the skillet, together with the lemon slices. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring to loosen the browned bits on the bottom of the skillet. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the broth reduces by half. Add the 2 Tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed) and 1-2 Tablespoons capers (drained) to the skillet and continue cooking for another minute.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the 2 Tablespoons cold butter to the pan. Swirl the pan to move the sauce around until the butter melts and thickens the sauce. Stir in the 1-2 Tablespoons fresh parsley (finely chopped or 1-2 teaspoons of dried parsley) and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the sauce over the cooked chicken and serve immediately.
Notes
Note 1: The thinner chicken breast cutlets are specified. These are chicken breasts that have been halved by the grocers already. They typically include a bit of tenderloin, which I like to remove so the chicken cutlets can be pounded to an even thickness. This allows them to cook more evenly.
If you prefer, you can start with full chicken breasts that you cut in half yourself. I find they rarely produce two attractive pieces. Generally, the top piece is nice, and the bottom piece is less so. It won't make any difference to the taste of the dish, but if you want nice, neat chicken pieces, starting with the cutlets is the best option.
Tips!
Be sure to read the notes above this Recipe Card for more tips, serving suggestions, substitution suggestions and step-by-step photos that you might find helpful.
Watch how to make it
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 337kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 27g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 92mg, Sodium: 279mg, Potassium: 548mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 392IU, Vitamin C: 27mg, Calcium: 25mg, Iron: 1mg
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