Date Night Chicken Piccata (Printable)
Tender chicken breasts cooked in a lemon-butter sauce with capers and fresh parsley, ideal for a cozy dinner.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
03 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour for dredging
→ For Sautéing
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter plus more for finishing
→ Sauce
06 - 1/3 cup dry white wine or low-sodium chicken broth
07 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
08 - 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice from about 1 large lemon
09 - 2 tablespoons capers, drained
10 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
→ Garnish Optional
11 - Lemon slices
12 - Extra parsley
# How-To:
01 - Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap. Pound to an even 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet.
02 - Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge lightly in flour, shaking off excess.
03 - In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter until sizzling.
04 - Add chicken and sauté 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and just cooked through. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil.
05 - Add white wine to the same skillet, scraping up browned bits. Simmer 1 to 2 minutes until slightly reduced.
06 - Stir in chicken broth, lemon juice, and capers. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
07 - Return chicken to the skillet and spoon sauce over the top. Simmer 2 minutes to warm through. Remove from heat. Swirl in 1 tablespoon cold butter for richness. Sprinkle with parsley.
08 - Serve immediately, garnished with lemon slices and extra parsley if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce comes together faster than you can boil pasta, but tastes like it simmered for hours
- That moment when you swirl in cold butter and the sauce turns glossy and velvety never gets old
02 -
- Cold butter is the secret to a restaurant-quality sauce that emulsifies instead of separating
- Pounding chicken thin means it cooks in minutes without drying out
03 -
- If you do not drink, swap the wine for extra broth and add a splash of white wine vinegar
- The leftover sauce refrigerates beautifully for up to 3 days