Creamy Chicken Piccata (Print View)

Tender chicken breasts in a luscious lemon and caper cream sauce, rich and flavorful.

# Components:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.3 pounds)
02 - ½ teaspoon salt
03 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
04 - ½ cup all-purpose flour (60 grams) for dredging
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Sauce

07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - ½ cup dry white wine (120 milliliters) or chicken broth
09 - ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth (120 milliliters)
10 - ½ cup heavy cream (120 milliliters)
11 - ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (60 milliliters, about 2 lemons)
12 - 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
14 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Place chicken breasts between two sheets of parchment paper and gently pound to ½-inch thickness. Season both sides with salt and black pepper.
02 - Lightly coat each chicken breast with flour, shaking off any excess.
03 - Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
04 - In the same skillet, add remaining 1 tablespoon butter and sauté minced garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Pour in white wine or chicken broth and simmer, scraping up browned bits from the skillet, until reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
06 - Incorporate chicken broth, heavy cream, and lemon juice. Stir and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens.
07 - Stir in capers and return chicken breasts to the skillet. Spoon sauce over the chicken and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to heat through.
08 - Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately accompanied by pasta, rice, or crusty bread.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It cooks faster than takeout and tastes infinitely better than delivery.
  • The lemon and capers keep everything from feeling heavy, even though there's cream involved.
  • One skillet, real garlic, and you've got restaurant-quality dinner ready to serve.
02 -
  • If your sauce breaks or looks separated, whisk in a splash of cold cream off heat and it will come back together—panic is not necessary.
  • Don't skip the pounding step; thick chicken breasts will overcook on the outside before the inside is done, and thin ones finish perfectly in minutes.
  • Fresh lemon juice matters more than you think; it's the difference between a dish that tastes dull and one that tastes alive.
03 -
  • Room-temperature chicken cooks more evenly than cold chicken straight from the fridge—pull it out fifteen minutes before you start cooking.
  • The instant you see the corners of the chicken starting to brown, don't flip early; let it sit and develop that crust before turning it over.
  • If your sauce is thinner than you want, whisk together a teaspoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water and stir it in off heat—it thickens without breaking the cream.
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