Chicken Limone Recipe

Prepare and pound chicken

Trim any fat from the chicken breasts. If breasts are thick, slice horizontally to make 2 thinner cutlets or place between plastic wrap and gently pound to 1/2-inch thickness with a meat mallet or rolling pin for even cooking.

Season chicken

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and 1 tsp garlic powder.

Dredge

Place 1 cup flour on a plate. Lightly dredge each seasoned cutlet in the flour, shaking off excess. Set the dredged cutlets on a wire rack or plate while you heat the pan.

Brown the chicken

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp unsalted butter. Once butter foams and oil shimmers, add the chicken cutlets (work in batches if needed) and cook 3-4 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 with foil. Reserve pan juices for the sauce.

Deglaze the pan

With the skillet still over medium heat, add the 1/2 cup dry white wine (or 1/2 cup additional chicken stock if not using wine) to the pan. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon; let the liquid reduce by about half, 1-2 minutes.

Build the sauce

Add 1 cup fresh lemon juice and 1 cup chicken stock to the skillet. Bring to a simmer and let reduce gently for 3-4 minutes until flavors concentrate. Stir in 1 tbsp lemon zest and 2 tbsp rinsed capers.

Finish the sauce

Lower heat to medium-low. Stir in 2 tbsp heavy cream if using (this mellows acidity) and whisk in 2 tbsp cold unsalted butter, one piece at a time, to slightly thicken and gloss the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning — add up to 1/2 tsp salt if needed and a pinch of pepper. Stir in 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley.

Return chicken to pan

Return the browned chicken cutlets and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Spoon sauce over the cutlets and simmer gently for 1-2 minutes to rewarm and finish cooking (internal temp 165°F / 74°C).

Plate the chicken cutlets, spooning generous amounts of lemon-caper sauce over each piece. Garnish with lemon slices or wedges and additional chopped parsley. Serve immediately with your choice of sides (pasta, rice, or roasted vegetables).