Copycat CPK Chicken Piccata
This Copycat CPK Chicken Piccata delivers that perfect balance of flavors that restaurants charge a lot for — bright lemon, briny capers, rich butter, and savory chicken — all in one pan. It comes together in under 35 minutes, making it just as weeknight-friendly as it is impressive for company.
Equipment
- Large stainless steel or cast iron skillet - 12-inch (30cm) recommended
- Meat mallet or meat tenderizer - with both flat and textured sides
- Plastic wrap - for pounding the chicken
- Cutting board
- Sharp chef's knife
- Shallow dish or plate - for dredging
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Citrus juicer or reamer
- Tongs
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- Microplane or fine grater - optional, for lemon zest
- Fine-mesh strainer - optional, for a silky-smooth sauce
- Instant-read thermometer - optional but recommended for perfectly cooked chicken
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts - about 6-8 oz or 170-225g each
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour - 60g, for dredging
- 1 teaspoon salt - plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper - plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 tablespoons light olive oil - 60ml, divided
- 2 medium shallots - finely minced
- 4 garlic cloves - minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine - 120ml, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth - 240ml
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice - 60ml, about 2 large lemons
- 3 tablespoons capers - drained and rinsed
- 5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter - 70g, cut into cubes
- 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley - roughly chopped
- Lemon slices - for garnish
For Serving
- Cooked angel hair pasta or linguine
Instructions
- Slice thick chicken breasts in half horizontally, then pound each piece between plastic wrap to an even 1/2-inch (1.25cm) thickness using a meat mallet.
- In a shallow dish, combine flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and garlic powder. Season pounded chicken with additional salt and pepper, then dredge each piece in flour mixture, shaking off excess.
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken in batches without crowding, 3-4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through (165°F/74°C). Transfer to a plate and tent with foil.
- In the same skillet, sauté shallots for 1-2 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in wine, scraping up browned bits, and simmer 3-4 minutes until reduced by half.
- Add chicken broth and lemon juice, bring to a simmer, and cook 5-7 minutes until slightly reduced. Stir in capers and warm through. Reduce heat to low and whisk in cold butter cubes one at a time until smooth and glossy. Strain if desired.
- Return chicken to the skillet, spoon sauce over top, and warm through over low heat for 1-2 minutes. Garnish with parsley and lemon slices, then serve over pasta with plenty of sauce.
Notes
- Pound chicken evenly: Uneven cutlets cook unevenly. Take the extra two minutes to pound them properly — this is the most important prep step.
- Use dry white wine: Avoid cooking wines (they're loaded with sodium) and sweet wines. A dry Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc works perfectly.
- Fresh lemon juice is essential: Bottled lemon juice has a flatter, slightly bitter flavor compared to fresh. For a sauce this simple, fresh juice makes a real difference.
- Cold butter is non-negotiable: Warm or room-temperature butter won't emulsify properly into the sauce. Keep it in the fridge right until you're ready to use it.
- Don't crowd the pan: Sear in batches. Crowding drops the oil temperature and steams the chicken rather than searing it, and you'll lose the golden crust.
- Taste and adjust: Every lemon is different in acidity and every caper is different in saltiness. Always taste the sauce before serving and tweak with more lemon, salt, or a pinch of sugar if needed.
- Make-ahead tip: You can pound and dredge the chicken up to 4 hours in advance and store it uncovered in the refrigerator. This helps the flour coating adhere better for an even crisper sear.
- To fix a broken sauce: Remove pan from heat, let it cool for a minute, add a small splash of cold water or broth, whisk vigorously, then slowly add 1-2 additional cold butter cubes while whisking off the heat.
- Storage: Store chicken and sauce together in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat with a splash of broth to loosen the sauce.
- Gluten-free option: Swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend or rice flour. The chicken still gets a great sear and the sauce is naturally gluten-free.