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Chicken Scaloppini with Mushrooms and Peppers

By Cristin Walsh

Published on February 5, 2014

Time

1¼ hours

Yield

Serves 4

Chicken Scaloppini with Mushrooms and Peppers

Ingredients

3 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmedSalt and pepper 6 tablespoons vegetable oil 8 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and quartered1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into thin matchsticks1 shallot, sliced thin¼ cup capers, rinsed2 garlic cloves, minced1 ¼ cups chicken broth ¾ cup white wine ¼ cup all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Before You Begin

The chicken breasts will be easier to slice in half if you freeze them for 15 minutes first.

Instructions

  1. Working with 1 breast at a time, starting on thick side, cut breasts in half horizontally. Using meat pounder, gently pound each cutlet into even 1/2-inch thickness between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Pat cutlets dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper; set aside.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add mushrooms, bell pepper, shallot, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until liquid has evaporated and vegetables begin to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add capers and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add broth and wine and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Cook until slightly thickened and mixture is reduced to 2 cups (measured with vegetables), about 8 minutes. Set aside in measuring cup. Wipe out skillet with paper towels.
  3. Spread flour in shallow dish. Working with 1 cutlet at a time, dredge cutlets in flour, shaking off excess, and transfer to plate. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add 3 cutlets and cook until golden and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to platter and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Repeat with remaining 3 cutlets and remaining 2 tablespoons oil.
  4. Discard any oil remaining in skillet. Return sauce to now-empty skillet and bring to boil. Once boiling, remove skillet from heat and whisk in butter. Stir in any accumulated juices from platter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon sauce and vegetables over chicken. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve.
Chicken Scaloppini with Mushrooms and Peppers

Chicken Scaloppini with Mushrooms and Peppers

Headshot of Cristin Walsh
By Cristin Walsh
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Time

1¼ hours

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
Salt and pepper
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into thin matchsticks
1 shallot, sliced thin
¼ cup capers, rinsed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 ¼ cups chicken broth
¾ cup white wine
¼ cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Ingredients

3 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
Salt and pepper
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into thin matchsticks
1 shallot, sliced thin
¼ cup capers, rinsed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 ¼ cups chicken broth
¾ cup white wine
¼ cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Ingredients

3 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
Salt and pepper
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into thin matchsticks
1 shallot, sliced thin
¼ cup capers, rinsed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 ¼ cups chicken broth
¾ cup white wine
¼ cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Why This Recipe Works

Sautéed chicken cutlets with a quick pan sauce make an ideal weeknight meal, and with a few tweaks, we perfected the classic. Most recipes call for browning the chicken before building the sauce, but we found that the thin cutlets overcooked and became dry as they sat while the sauce simmered. Bucking tradition, we first make the sauce and then dredge and brown the chicken. Mushrooms, peppers, shallots, garlic, and capers make for a flavorful sauce, finished with butter for silky texture and parsley for freshness.

Before You Begin

The chicken breasts will be easier to slice in half if you freeze them for 15 minutes first.

Instructions

  1. Working with 1 breast at a time, starting on thick side, cut breasts in half horizontally. Using meat pounder, gently pound each cutlet into even 1/2-inch thickness between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Pat cutlets dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper; set aside.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add mushrooms, bell pepper, shallot, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until liquid has evaporated and vegetables begin to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add capers and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add broth and wine and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Cook until slightly thickened and mixture is reduced to 2 cups (measured with vegetables), about 8 minutes. Set aside in measuring cup. Wipe out skillet with paper towels.
  3. Spread flour in shallow dish. Working with 1 cutlet at a time, dredge cutlets in flour, shaking off excess, and transfer to plate. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add 3 cutlets and cook until golden and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to platter and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Repeat with remaining 3 cutlets and remaining 2 tablespoons oil.
  4. Discard any oil remaining in skillet. Return sauce to now-empty skillet and bring to boil. Once boiling, remove skillet from heat and whisk in butter. Stir in any accumulated juices from platter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon sauce and vegetables over chicken. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve.

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