Name: Quick Chicken Piccata
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves; cayenne pepper to taste; salt and ground black pepper to taste; all-purpose flour for dredging; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 tablespoon capers, drained; 0.5 cup white wine; 0.25 cup fresh lemon juice; 0.25 cup water; 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut in 1/4-inch slices; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

Quick Chicken Piccata

This easy chicken piccata recipe from Chef John pan-fries chicken in a delicious Italian piccata sauce made with lemon, capers, white wine, and parsley.

25 min total 10 min prep 15 min cook 4 321 cal

Instructions

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1 Place chicken breasts between 2 sheets of heavy plastic on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound chicken breasts with the smooth side of a meat mallet to a 1/2-inch thickness.
2 Season both sides of chicken breasts with cayenne, salt, and black pepper; dredge lightly in flour and shake off any excess.
3 Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken in the pan, reduce heat to medium, and cook until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side; transfer to a plate.
4 Cook capers in reserved oil, smashing them lightly to release brine, until warmed through, about 30 seconds. Pour white wine into the skillet and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of food off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook until reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
5 Stir lemon juice, water, and butter into the reduced wine mixture; cook and stir continuously to form a thick sauce, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir parsley through the sauce.
6 Return chicken breasts to the pan and cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with sauce spooned over the top.