American-Style Chicken Piccata
Why this recipe works
- Bright, balanced sauce: Lemon juice and capers cut through the butter, giving the pan sauce a sharp, savoury lift.
- Light golden coating: A thin layer of flour helps the chicken brown quickly and gives the sauce something to cling to.
- Built-in flavour: The sauce is made in the same pan as the chicken, so the browned bits become part of the finished dish.
Get the most out of this recipe
Ingredient notes
- Use thin, even cutlets: Evenly sliced chicken cooks quickly and stays tender, which is especially important with lean breast meat.
- Check the capers: Capers vary in saltiness; rinse and drain them if they taste particularly briny before adding them to the pan.
- Balance the lemon: Add lemon juice to taste so the sauce stays bright without overwhelming the chicken.
Common mistakes
- Overcooking the chicken: Thin cutlets cook fast, so remove them once golden and just cooked through, then warm them briefly in the sauce.
- Burning the garlic: Lower the heat before adding garlic; it only needs a short cook before the stock goes in.
- Reducing the sauce too far: The sauce should be glossy and spoonable rather than thick or sticky. Add a little more stock if it tightens too much.
Serving ideas
- Serve with something to catch the sauce: Plain pasta, mashed potatoes, rice or crusty bread all work well with the lemon-caper pan sauce.
- Add a simple green side: Steamed green beans, sautéed spinach or a crisp salad balance the richness of the butter.
- Finish fresh: Parsley adds colour and a clean herbal note just before serving.
Make-ahead tips
- Prep ahead: Slice the chicken, chop the parsley and have the lemon, capers and stock ready before you start cooking.
- Best served fresh: The coating and sauce are at their best straight from the pan, while the chicken is tender and the sauce is glossy.
- Reheat gently: Warm leftovers over low heat with a splash of chicken stock to help keep the chicken moist and the sauce smooth.
Equipment you'll need
Ingredients
Instructions
- Slice the chicken breast horizontally to make thin cutlets, then season both sides with the fine sea salt and black pepper. Put the plain flour on a plate and lightly coat the chicken, shaking off any excess.
- Heat the extra virgin olive oil with 30 g of the unsalted butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Pan-fry the chicken in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and just cooked through, then transfer to a plate.
- Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining unsalted butter. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, scraping up any browned bits from the pan.
- Add the chicken stock and capers, then bring to a lively simmer. Squeeze in the lemon juice and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until the sauce looks slightly reduced and glossy.
- Return the chicken (and any resting juices) to the pan and turn to coat in the sauce. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the chicken is piping hot, then taste and adjust with a little more fine sea salt and black pepper if needed.
- Finely chop the fresh parsley and scatter it over the chicken. Spoon the lemon and caper sauce over the top and serve straight away.
Recipe notes
Tips
- For the most tender result, keep the cutlets an even thickness so they cook quickly and do not dry out.
- Rinse the capers briefly if they are very salty, then drain well before adding to the pan.
- If serving anyone who is pregnant, elderly, or immunocompromised, make sure the chicken is cooked until piping hot all the way through.
Substitutions
- Replace the plain flour with gluten-free-plain-flour for a gluten-free coating.
- Replace the fresh parsley with fresh-basil for a softer, sweeter herb finish.
- Replace the extra virgin olive oil with light-olive-oil for a milder flavour.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 3 days
- Cool, then refrigerate in a sealed container. Reheat gently in a frying pan over low heat with a splash of chicken stock until piping hot, as high heat can make the chicken tough and the sauce split.
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Recipe overview
- Servings: 4 servings
- Total time: 35min (25min active)
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cuisine: American
-
Allergens:
Gluten Milk Wheat
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