Skillet Chicken Piccata
This Skillet Chicken Piccata is a classic Italian-American dish made with tender chicken breasts, lemon juice, capers, white wine, and butter—all simmered in one skillet for a bright and flavorful meal in under 30 minutes.
4 Servings
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless 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
- ½ cup white wine
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ cup water
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter cold and cut into ¼-inch slices
- 2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley finely chopped
Instructions
Prepare the chicken:
- Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of heavy plastic. Using the flat side of a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound the chicken evenly until it reaches ½-inch thickness. Season both sides of each piece with salt, ground black pepper, and cayenne pepper as desired.
Dredge in flour:
- Lightly coat the seasoned chicken breasts with all-purpose flour. Shake off any excess flour to ensure a thin, even layer that will form a golden crust when sautéed.
Sear the chicken:
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Carefully add the chicken breasts to the pan, then reduce the heat to medium. Cook each side for approximately 5 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown and fully cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a separate plate and set aside.
Deglaze and prepare the sauce:
- Using the same skillet, add the drained capers to the remaining oil and lightly crush them with a wooden spoon to release their briny flavor. Sauté briefly for about 30 seconds. Pour in the white wine and increase the heat to bring it to a boil. Scrape the browned bits from the pan’s bottom and allow the wine to reduce by half, which will take roughly 2 minutes.
Finish the sauce:
- Add the lemon juice, water, and butter to the reduced wine mixture. Stir continuously over low heat until the butter melts and the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Incorporate the chopped parsley and stir gently to blend.
Combine and serve:
- Return the chicken breasts to the skillet. Spoon the sauce over the top and allow the chicken to warm through for 1–2 minutes. Serve immediately, garnished with extra parsley if desired.
Notes
To adapt this recipe for a gluten-free diet, replace the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend or cornstarch for dredging the chicken. Ensure that your white wine and all other packaged ingredients (such as capers and butter) are certified gluten-free to avoid cross-contamination.