Description
Italian chicken piccata brings together tender chicken breasts with a bright lemon and caper sauce that makes weeknight dinners feel special. Thin cutlets cook in minutes, and you simply finish them with fresh lemon juice, briny capers, and a touch of butter for a restaurant-quality meal you can have on your table in about 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 eggs
Coating and seasonings:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Sauce and finishing:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup capers
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Lay each of your 4 chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and use a meat mallet to pound them down to 1/4 inch thickness.
- Combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a shallow bowl.
- Whisk 2 eggs together in another shallow bowl until well blended.
- Dip each pounded chicken breast into your egg mixture, then dredge both sides through the flour mixture and place on a plate.
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes until the oil shimmers.
- Place your chicken breasts into the hot skillet and cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side until golden brown, then transfer them to a clean plate.
- Reduce your heat to medium and add 3 minced garlic cloves to the same skillet, stirring for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour 1 cup chicken broth and 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice into your skillet, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to release the browned bits.
- Stir in 1/4 cup capers and 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning.
- Return your chicken breasts to the skillet and let them simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and the chicken reaches full doneness.
- Take your skillet off the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons butter until it melts completely throughout the sauce.
- Move your chicken to a serving platter and spoon the sauce over top, then sprinkle 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley across everything before serving.
Notes
- Pound your chicken breasts evenly to ensure they cook at the same rate and stay tender throughout.
- Pat the breaded chicken dry before placing it in the hot oil, as excess moisture prevents proper browning and creates splatter.
- Don’t skip deglazing the pan after removing the chicken, since those browned bits add deep flavor to your sauce.
- For a dairy-free version, replace the butter with extra virgin olive oil stirred in at the end for the same silky texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
- Category: Sautéed Chicken
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 155 mg