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Chicken Piccata
A restaurant-quality chicken piccata that comes together in 20 minutes. Thin chicken breast cutlets are flour-dredged and seared golden, then bathed in a silky lemon-butter-caper sauce. The technique of dry brining, proper dredging, and building a pan sauce transforms simple ingredients into something worth $40 at a restaurant.
Ingredients
For cooking
- 3 tbsp olive oil
For finishing
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
For the chicken
- 2 piece chicken breast (6-7 oz each, halved horizontally into 4 cutlets)
- salt (two-finger pinch per side)
- black pepper (freshly cracked)
- 0.5 cup all-purpose flour (for dredging)
For the sauce
- 4 tbsp butter (cold, cubed)
- 2 tbsp capers (drained)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 0.5 cup chicken stock
Steps
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1Halve each chicken breast horizontally into two thin cutlets. Place in a freezer bag one at a time and gently pound to an even 1/4-inch thickness using a pot or mallet.Tip: Start sawing from the thick end, checking both sides so you don't cut too far down. If this is too tricky, cut the breast top-to-bottom instead — just know the thicker end will need more pounding.~5 min
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2Season both sides of each cutlet with a two-finger pinch of salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Let dry brine for 10 minutes at room temperature.Tip: Dry brining allows the salt to penetrate the meat for even seasoning and changes the protein structure so it holds more moisture during cooking.~10 min
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3Dredge each cutlet in flour, pressing to ensure full adhesion. Shake off excess. Let the dredged cutlets rest 5 minutes so the flour hydrates.Tip: Letting the flour hydrate unifies the starch and protein, making it stick better and brown more evenly. Gluten-free flour also works here.~5 min
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4Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear the cutlets for about 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove to a plate.Tip: Don't overcrowd the pan — cook in batches of 2. The dredge creates a protective layer that helps hold juices in the meat.~6 min
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5In the same pan, add chicken stock and scrape up any fond. Add lemon juice and capers. Let reduce by about half.Tip: The fond (browned bits) from searing the chicken is pure concentrated flavor — don't skip the deglazing step.~3 min
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6Remove pan from heat. Swirl in cold butter cubes one at a time until the sauce is silky and emulsified. Taste for seasoning.Tip: Adding butter off heat prevents it from breaking. The result should be a glossy, silky sauce that coats a spoon.~2 min
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7Return chicken to the pan and spoon sauce over each cutlet. Finish with chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately.
Nutrition (per serving)
480
Calories
38g
Protein
18g
Carbs
28g
Fat
1g
Fiber
Cultural Context
Chicken piccata is a staple of Italian-American cuisine, found on white-tablecloth restaurant menus across the US. The word 'piccata' refers to the method of slicing, coating, and sautéing meat in a lemon-butter-caper sauce. While it originated from Italian veal piccata (scaloppine al limone), the American adaptation uses chicken breast as a more accessible protein. Brian Lagerstrom's version emphasizes restaurant technique for home cooks: dry brining for seasoned-through meat, letting the flour hydrate before cooking for better browning, and building a proper emulsified pan sauce.