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Your Guide to Better Chicken Breasts
Recipe
1 hr 15 min

Chicken Piccata

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Chicken Piccata
Author: Annie Petito

Recipe By Annie Petito

Published on May 4, 2026

For a sauce with deep citrus flavor, don't waste any part of the lemon.

Time

1 hr 15 min

Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Why This Recipe Works

For this recipe, we used our easy approach to butchering and cooking chicken cutlets. First, we cut each chicken breast in half crosswise. Then, we halved the thicker portion horizontally to make three similar-size pieces that required only minimal pounding to become cutlets. We salted the cutlets briefly to boost their ability to retain moisture and then lightly coated them in flour, which helped with browning. We seared the cutlets quickly on both sides and set them aside while making the sauce. Including both lemon juice and lemon slices in the sauce adds complexity and textural appeal. We then returned the cutlets to the pan to cook through and to wash any excess starch into the sauce, eliminating a gummy coating. A hearty amount of briny capers and a few tablespoons of butter finished the dish.

Ingredients

4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
Kosher salt and pepper
2 large lemons
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
2 tablespoons capers, drained
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

Instructions

Cook along with these step-by-step instructions

step 1 imagestep 2 imagestep 3 imagestep 4 image
  1. Cut 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts in half crosswise, then cut thick half in half again horizontally, creating 3 cutlets of similar thickness.
  2. Place cutlets between sheets of plastic wrap and gently pound to even ½-inch thickness. Place cutlets in bowl and toss with 2 teaspoons kosher salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Set aside for 15 minutes.
  3. Halve 1 lemon lengthwise. Trim ends from 1 half, halve lengthwise again, then cut crosswise ¼-inch-thick slices; set aside. Juice remaining half and 1 lemon and set aside 3 tablespoons juice.
  4. Spread ¾ cup all-purpose flour in shallow dish. Working with 1 cutlet at a time, dredge cutlets in flour, shaking gently to remove excess. Place on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet.
  5. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Place 6 cutlets in skillet, reduce heat to medium, and cook until golden brown on 1 side, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook until golden brown on second side, 2 to 3 minutes. Return cutlets to wire rack. Repeat with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and remaining 6 cutlets.
  6. Add remaining 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and 1 minced shallot to skillet and cook until softened, 1 minute. Add 1 minced garlic clove and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add 1 cup chicken broth, reserved lemon juice, and reserved lemon slices and bring to simmer, scraping up any browned bits.
  7. Add cutlets to sauce and simmer for 4 minutes, flipping halfway through simmering. Transfer cutlets to platter. Sauce should be thickened to consistency of heavy cream; if not, simmer 1 minute longer.
  8. Off heat, whisk in 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces. Stir in 2 tablespoons drained capers and 1 tablespoon minced parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve.

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Chicken Piccata

Recipe By Annie Petito

Published on May 4, 2026

Time

1 hr 15 min

Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Chicken Piccata

Ingredients

4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmedKosher salt and pepper2 large lemons¾ cup all-purpose flour¼ cup plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil1 shallot, minced1 garlic clove, minced1 cup chicken broth3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces2 tablespoons capers, drained1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

Instructions

  1. Cut 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts in half crosswise, then cut thick half in half again horizontally, creating 3 cutlets of similar thickness.
  2. Place cutlets between sheets of plastic wrap and gently pound to even ½-inch thickness. Place cutlets in bowl and toss with 2 teaspoons kosher salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Set aside for 15 minutes.
  3. Halve 1 lemon lengthwise. Trim ends from 1 half, halve lengthwise again, then cut crosswise ¼-inch-thick slices; set aside. Juice remaining half and 1 lemon and set aside 3 tablespoons juice.
  4. Spread ¾ cup all-purpose flour in shallow dish. Working with 1 cutlet at a time, dredge cutlets in flour, shaking gently to remove excess. Place on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet.
  5. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Place 6 cutlets in skillet, reduce heat to medium, and cook until golden brown on 1 side, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook until golden brown on second side, 2 to 3 minutes. Return cutlets to wire rack. Repeat with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and remaining 6 cutlets.
  6. Add remaining 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and 1 minced shallot to skillet and cook until softened, 1 minute. Add 1 minced garlic clove and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add 1 cup chicken broth, reserved lemon juice, and reserved lemon slices and bring to simmer, scraping up any browned bits.
  7. Add cutlets to sauce and simmer for 4 minutes, flipping halfway through simmering. Transfer cutlets to platter. Sauce should be thickened to consistency of heavy cream; if not, simmer 1 minute longer.
  8. Off heat, whisk in 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces. Stir in 2 tablespoons drained capers and 1 tablespoon minced parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve.
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