Ina Garten’s Crispy Chicken Piccata
Zesty lemon-caper sauce coats golden-crisp breaded chicken in 20 minutes. This Italian-American classic balances tangy brightness with rich buttery flavor, served over crisp cutlets and perfect with starches or crusty bread to soak up the glossy lemon sauce.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 30
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Quick
- Method: Sautéing & Sauce Making
- Cuisine: American (Italian-American)
- Diet: Meat-Eater
Ingredients
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup flour
1 egg
1 tbsp water
½ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
2 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp unsalted butter
½ cup chicken broth
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup capers, rinsed
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Slice chicken breasts horizontally into 4 cutlets. Pound to ¼-inch thickness with a meat mallet. Season with salt and pepper.
Set up breading station: 3 shallow bowls for flour, egg-water mixture, and breadcrumbs. Coat cutlets in flour (shaking off excess), dip in egg wash, then press into breadcrumbs.
Let breaded cutlets rest on wire rack 5 minutes. Heat olive oil and 2 tbsp butter in skillet until shimmering. Cook cutlets 3-4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to plate and drizzle with 1 tbsp melted butter.
Add broth to skillet, scraping browned bits. Bring to simmer. Stir in lemon juice and capers, cook 2 minutes to reduce slightly. Whisk in remaining 2 tbsp cold butter until glossy.
Return chicken to skillet, spoon sauce over top. Garnish with parsley before serving.
Notes
Let breading rest for better crust adhesion
Cold butter creates glossy emulsion in sauce
Chop parsley just before serving for vibrant color
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (4 cutlets)
- Calories: 680
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 2800mg
- Fat: 45g
- Saturated Fat: 25g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 48g
- Cholesterol: 240mg