Chicken Piccata Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil.

Toss the halved baby potatoes with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and chopped rosemary or thyme until evenly coated. Spread in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.

Roast for 20–25 minutes, tossing once halfway through, until golden and tender when pierced with a fork. Keep warm while you prepare the chicken and sauce.

If the chicken breasts are thick, slice each breast horizontally to make two thinner cutlets or butterfly and pound gently between plastic wrap to about 1/2-inch thickness. Season both sides with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper.

Set up a dredging station: place the 1 cup flour in a shallow dish; in another shallow bowl whisk the egg with 2 tbsp milk until combined.

Dredge each cutlet first in flour, shaking off excess, then dip in the egg wash, then back into flour for a light double-coating. Shake off excess flour.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and 3 tbsp unsalted butter. When the butter foams, add the chicken cutlets (work in batches if needed to avoid crowding).

Cook about 3 minutes per side, until golden-brown and just cooked through (internal temperature 160–165°F / 71–74°C). Transfer cooked cutlets to a plate and tent loosely with foil.

In the same skillet used for the chicken, reduce heat to medium. Add 2 tbsp unsalted butter and 1 minced garlic clove; sauté 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned, scraping up browned bits from the pan.

Pour in 1 cup dry white wine (or chicken broth) to deglaze the pan, stirring and scraping the bottom. Let it simmer 2–3 minutes until reduced by about half.

Stir in 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice and 2 tbsp rinsed capers. Simmer 1 minute.

Lower heat to medium-low and add 1 cup heavy cream, stirring to combine. Let the sauce simmer gently 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened.

Whisk in 1 tsp lemon zest, 2 tbsp chopped parsley, and adjust seasoning with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper (taste and reduce salt if you used briny capers). If sauce is too thin, simmer 1–2 more minutes; if too thick, add up to 1–2 tbsp water or broth to reach desired consistency.

Return the cooked chicken cutlets to the skillet, spooning sauce over them; simmer 1–2 minutes just to reheat and meld flavors. Spoon additional sauce over each portion when serving.

While the sauce simmers, steam or blanch broccolini: bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add broccolini for 2–3 minutes until bright green and crisp-tender. Alternatively, sauté in a skillet with 1 tsp olive oil over medium-high heat for 4–5 minutes, turning occasionally.

Drain and season with 1/4 tsp salt and a squeeze of 1/2 lemon if desired.

Plate roasted potatoes and broccolini alongside the chicken cutlets. Spoon lemon butter cream sauce with capers over the chicken and garnish with extra chopped parsley and a thin lemon slice if desired.

Serve immediately.