Easy Chicken Piccata

Main Dishes

5 from 1 vote

This easy Chicken Piccata recipe is an elevated Italian-American classic with perfectly golden brown chicken in a buttery, lemony caper & shallot sauce that is so simple and quick to make at home. The recipe truly tastes restaurant-worthy while it only requires about 30 minutes to get dinner on the table!

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Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 50

Makes: 6 servings

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Ingredients

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 3 large breasts
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced and divided
2 shallots, finely minced
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons capers, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 cup dry vermouth*
1 cup chicken stock, homemade is best
1 tablespoon lemon zest
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup finely minced parsley

Instructions

Season and dredge the chicken. Pat the chicken dry and use a sharp knife to butterfly each breast into 2 thinner pieces. Season both sides with kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper. Pour the flour into a shallow dish and coat each chicken cutlet with the flour, shaking off any excess.
Sear the chicken. Preheat a large heavy-bottomed skillet or braiser over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter. Once the butter is melted and foamy, work in batches to brown the chicken for 3 minutes per side, or until the chicken is deeply golden brown. Add a little more olive oil, as needed between batches. Set the browned chicken aside on a plate.
Deglaze the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the shallots and sliced garlic to the pan. Cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the capers and dijon and then deglaze the pan with the vermouth, using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, to scrape up any browned bits. Let the vermouth simmer for 2-3 minutes, then stir in the chicken stock, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer and reduce by a half.
Stir in the butter. Start whisking in the remaining butter 1-2 pieces at a time, until they’re melted and emulsified into a smooth and silky sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper and nestle the chicken back into the sauce for 2-3 minutes, until warmed through. Top with the finely minced parsley and another squeeze of fresh lemon juice and serve right away.

Notes

You can swap in a dry white wine for the vermouth, but I do think the vermouth makes a much more flavorful and piquant sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 454kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 35gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 138mgSodium: 246mgPotassium: 660mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 515IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 1mg