Authentic Italian Chicken Piccata
This iconic dish hails from Southern Italy and delivers thin, golden-brown chicken cutlets bathed in a bright, tangy lemon-caper butter sauce that feels genuinely restaurant-worthy.
Equipment
- Large heavy-bottomed skillet or stainless steel pan (12-inch / 30cm) - Recommended size for even heat distribution
- Meat mallet or rolling pin - For pounding chicken to even thickness
- Shallow dish or plate - For dredging chicken in flour
- Tongs - For turning chicken
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
- Citrus juicer or reamer - For fresh lemon juice
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Small colander or strainer - For draining capers
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts - about 2 lbs or 900g, pounded thin or sliced into cutlets
- 0.5 cup all-purpose flour - 60g, for dredging
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt - 5g
- 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper - 2g
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil - 45ml, divided
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter - 45g, divided
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 0.5 cup dry white wine - 120ml, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
- 0.5 cup fresh lemon juice - 120ml, from about 3 large lemons
- 0.5 cup low-sodium chicken broth - 120ml
- 3 tablespoons capers - 30g, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley - finely chopped
- Lemon slices - for serving
Instructions
- Place each chicken breast flat on a cutting board. Slice horizontally into two thinner cutlets if thick, then pound to an even thickness of about 1/4 inch (6mm) between plastic wrap.
- Pat each cutlet completely dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Add flour to a shallow dish. Press both sides of each cutlet into the flour, shaking off any excess. Set dredged cutlets aside in a single layer.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Cook 2 chicken cutlets for 3-4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining cutlets.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in white wine, scraping up browned bits from the pan. Let cook for 1 minute to reduce.
- Add lemon juice and chicken broth. Increase heat to medium-high and simmer for 2-3 minutes until sauce reduces by about one-third. Stir in drained capers and cook for 30 seconds.
- Remove pan from heat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons cold butter and swirl until melted and emulsified into the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Return chicken to the pan, spooning sauce over each cutlet. Warm through for 1-2 minutes over low heat. Sprinkle with parsley, add lemon slices, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Pound evenly: Take time to pound cutlets to a consistent 1/4 inch thickness so every part cooks at the same time.
- Dry thoroughly: Pat chicken completely dry before dredging for a golden-brown crust rather than a pale, soggy coating.
- Don't crowd the pan: Cook in batches if needed. Overcrowding drops pan temperature and causes steaming instead of searing.
- Use fresh lemon juice: Bottled lemon juice cannot replicate the bright, clean flavor of fresh squeezed in this simple sauce.
- Cold butter at the end: Cold butter emulsifies into the sauce more effectively than room temperature butter. Pull it straight from the fridge before adding.
- Deglaze properly: When adding wine, scrape every bit of the golden fond off the bottom. Those caramelized bits are pure flavor.
- Taste and adjust: The sauce can vary in tartness depending on your lemons. Add a pinch of salt or a tiny bit of sugar if needed to balance.
- Make ahead tip: You can pound and flour the chicken up to 4 hours ahead. Keep dredged cutlets uncovered on a plate in the refrigerator.
- Storage: Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended as the sauce may separate.
- No wine? Replace white wine with equal amount of additional chicken broth and 1 teaspoon of white wine vinegar for similar acidity.