Chicken Piccata

Name: Chicken Piccata
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients: 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved horizontally; 1 tsp kosher salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground; 1/2 cup all-purpose flour; 3 tbsp olive oil; 6 tbsp unsalted butter; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth; 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice; 1 tsp lemon zest; 2 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed; 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Tender pan-seared chicken cutlets in a bright lemon-caper butter sauce, ready in under 30 minutes. A classic Italian-American weeknight dinner that feels restaurant-worthy.

35 minEasyServes 4420 cal/serving

Italian-AmericanDinnerStovetopHigh ProteinAlcohol-FreeCorn-Free

Cook this free in the appFree. No download, no account. The screen stays awake and each step can run its own timer.

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved horizontally
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 tbsp olive oil
6 tbsp unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
2 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Instructions

1

Place 2 halved horizontally boneless, skinless chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even 1/4-inch thickness. Season both sides with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper.
2

Spread 1/2 cup all-purpose flour on a shallow plate. Dredge each cutlet in flour, shaking off any excess.
3

Heat 3 tbsp olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the butter foams.
4

Add the cutlets in a single layer (work in batches if needed) and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
5

Reduce heat to medium. Add 4 minced garlic cloves to the skillet and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds until fragrant.
6

Pour in 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth and 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Stir in 1 tsp lemon zest and 2 tbsp drained and rinsed capers. Let the sauce simmer for 3-4 minutes until slightly reduced.
7

Remove the pan from heat and swirl in the remaining 6 tbsp unsalted butter until melted and the sauce is glossy.
8

Return the chicken to the pan and spoon the sauce over the top. Garnish with 2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley and serve immediately.

Cook this free in the appCooking it now? The app keeps the screen awake and times each step. Free, nothing to install.

Keep this recipe

Prints the ingredients and method only.

The Italian-American Kitchen 30 recipes from this kitchen in one printable PDF. $5, no account.

Questions

What is Chicken Piccata?

Tender pan-seared chicken cutlets in a bright lemon-caper butter sauce, ready in under 30 minutes. A classic Italian-American weeknight dinner that feels restaurant-worthy. This reference files it under Italian-American dinner: made on the stovetop, rated easy and about 35 minutes start to finish.

What internal temperature should Chicken Piccata reach?

For Chicken Piccata, the target internal temperature is 165 F (about 75 C), given in step 4. A probe thermometer removes the guesswork.

Why rest the meat in Chicken Piccata?

Step 4 reads: "Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil." Heat drives the juices toward the center. The rest in step 4 lets them spread back out, so they stay in the meat instead of running onto the board when you cut.

What can I use instead of capers in Chicken Piccata?

The entry for Chicken Piccata calls for 2 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed. In its place: Chopped green olives give the same briny pop.

Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts in Chicken Piccata?

Yes. Boneless thighs at the same weight are more forgiving and stay juicier. Give them two to four minutes longer; they are at their best around 175 F rather than 165 F. As written, the entry for Chicken Piccata uses 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved horizontally.

How long does Chicken Piccata keep?

Refrigerate what is left of Chicken Piccata within two hours and eat it within three days. Reheat gently on the stovetop.

Serve it with

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,544 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.