Chicken Picatta Recipe

Prepare chicken

Slice each chicken breast horizontally to make 2 thinner cutlets (or butterfly and pound to 1/4-inch thickness). Pat dry with paper towel. Season both sides with kosher salt and black pepper.

Set up dredging station

Place the flour in a shallow dish. In another shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk until smooth.

Dredge

One at a time, lightly coat each cutlet in flour, shaking off excess, dip into the egg mixture, then lightly dredge in flour again for a thin even coating. Shake off excess flour.

Cook chicken

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until butter foams and oil shimmers. Add chicken cutlets (work in batches so they don’t overcrowd) and cook 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown and just cooked through (internal temperature 160–165°F / 71–74°C). Transfer cooked cutlets to a warm plate and tent loosely with foil.

Sauté garlic

Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same skillet and, if needed, 1 teaspoon butter. Add minced garlic and sauté 20–30 seconds until fragrant but not browned, scraping up browned bits from the pan.

Deglaze

Carefully pour in the white wine (or chicken broth) to deglaze the pan, stirring and scraping any browned bits. Bring to a simmer and let reduce by about half, 3–4 minutes.

Finish sauce

Stir in the lemon juice and capers. Reduce heat to low and whisk in the cold butter pieces a little at a time to emulsify the sauce and give it a glossy finish. Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch more salt and pepper if needed.

Warm chicken in sauce

Return the chicken cutlets to the skillet, spoon sauce over them, and simmer gently for 1–2 minutes to reheat and meld flavors. Remove from heat and sprinkle chopped parsley over top.

Transfer chicken to plates or a serving platter, spoon extra sauce and capers over each cutlet, garnish with lemon slices or wedges and additional parsley if desired. Serve immediately over cooked pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes to catch the sauce.