Chicken Piccata with Lemon Butter Sauce
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Thin cutlets and a lemony pan sauce finished with a swirl of cold butter. The capers sizzle, the lemon hits the pan, and by the time the sauce turns glossy the table is already set.
The short version
Slice and pound the chicken, flour it and brown it in batches. In the same pan, cook a shallot, reduce stock, lemon juice and capers, then swirl in cold butter. About 30 minutes; the butter goes in off the heat.
What makes ours better
small changes, very loud compliments
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Swirl in cold butter off the heat. Butter added after the sauce stops boiling thickens it into a silky, glossy coat instead of an oily puddle. No cream needed.
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Add lemon in two stages. Half the juice cooks down with the stock for depth, and the rest goes in at the end for the fresh, sharp edge you actually want.
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Fry the capers briefly in the pan first. Thirty seconds in hot fat blooms their flavor and takes the edge off the brine.
What you need
check the pantry before you promise anyone
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts1½ pounds
- All-purpose flour½ cup
- Olive oil2 tablespoons
- Shallot1 large
- Garlic2 cloves
- Low-sodium chicken stock1 cup
- Cold unsalted butter3 tablespoons
- Chopped fresh parsley2 tablespoons
Chicken
Sauce
yes, all of the butter
Steps
go slow. the good part can’t be rushed.
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Pound and season
Place the cutlets between sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even ½ inch. Season both sides with the salt and pepper. Spread the flour on a plate, dredge each cutlet, and shake off the excess.
Flour just before cooking. If it sits, it turns pasty and won't brown.
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Brown the chicken
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Cook the cutlets in two batches, 3 to 4 minutes per side, until golden and 165°F inside. Move them to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
About 8 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Bloom the capers and shallot
Lower the heat to medium and add the capers to the pan. Cook 30 seconds, then add the shallot and garlic and cook 1 minute, until soft and fragrant.
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Reduce the sauce
Pour in the stock and 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice. Raise the heat to high and scrape up the browned bits. Boil until reduced by about half, 4 to 5 minutes.
About 5 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Swirl in the butter
Take the pan off the heat. Add the cold butter a piece at a time, swirling until each melts and the sauce turns glossy. Stir in the remaining lemon juice and the juices from the chicken plate. Taste and add salt if needed.
If the pan is too hot, the butter splits. Take it off the burner first.
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Sauce and serve
Return the chicken to the pan and spoon the sauce over it for a minute to rewarm. Scatter with parsley and serve right away.
Good to know
read this before somebody asks for seconds
- For a crisp version, bread the cutlets in flour, egg and panko, and fry 3 minutes per side. The sauce goes over the top just before serving.
- Veal or thin-sliced pork cutlets work the same way, with slightly shorter cooking time.
- Serve with angel hair, mashed potatoes or roasted green beans.
- Storage. Fridge, 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat in a skillet over low heat with a splash of stock or water.
Questions, answered
asked and answered at the kitchen counter
What does piccata mean?
It refers to the style, a thin cutlet cooked quickly and served in a lemony pan sauce. Chicken is the most common version in the US, though it started with veal.
Can I make chicken piccata without wine?
Yes. This one has none. The stock and lemon juice make the sauce, and no one misses the wine.
Why is my piccata sauce too sour or too salty?
Capers vary in brine. Rinse them if yours are very salty, and use low-sodium stock. If it's too sharp, whisk in a bit more butter or a splash of stock.
How do I keep the coating from falling off?
Pat the chicken dry, flour it right before cooking, and don't move it until it releases easily from the pan.
Can I make it ahead?
Cook the chicken and make the sauce up to a day ahead and store them separately. Rewarm the sauce first, then add the chicken for a few minutes.
From the table
Made it? Tell me everything. Especially if somebody said it was better than their mother’s. I’ll keep your secret.
Made it?
tell me the truth, then tell me who had thirds
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Published October 28, 2026.