4 / 5 stars from 2 votes

This is a simple, utterly delicious dish that comes together remarkably quickly. It’s ideal for serving on a large platter for the entire family to enjoy, perfectly complemented by a fresh green salad.

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• 4
  (1 1/2 lbs total)
  boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2/3
  cup
  all-purpose flour
• 3
  tablespoons
  finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 6
  tablespoons
  olive oil
• 1
  stick (4 oz)
  unsalted butter
• 1/2
  cup
  canned chicken broth or homemade chicken stock
• Juice of 2 lemons*
  (about 1/3 cup)
• 3
  tablespoons
  capers
• Small handful of fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

1. Begin by preparing the chicken. Cut each boneless, skinless chicken breast half lengthwise to yield a total of 8 thinner pieces. Place the chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Using a meat mallet (or the bottom of a heavy skillet), pound the chicken to an even thickness of about 1/4 inch. This ensures even cooking and tenderness. Season generously with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper on both sides.

2. In a shallow medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour and finely grated Parmesan cheese. This mixture forms the flavorful dredge for your chicken. Lightly dredge each piece of pounded chicken in the flour and Parmesan mixture, turning to coat both sides thoroughly. Shake off any excess flour to ensure a thin, even coating.

3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter. Once the butter has melted and the mixture is shimmering, carefully add 4 pieces of the dredged chicken to the skillet, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook until well browned on each side, approximately 3 minutes per side. The chicken will not be cooked through at this stage. Transfer the partially cooked chicken to a clean plate.

4. Repeat the pan-frying process with the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil, another 2 tablespoons of butter, and the remaining chicken pieces. Add these to the plate with the first batch of chicken. Make sure to reserve all the delicious drippings and browned bits in the skillet; these will form the flavorful base for your piccata sauce.

5. Place the same skillet back over medium-high heat. Pour in the chicken stock (or homemade chicken stock), the freshly squeezed lemon juice, and the capers. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to release all the flavorful browned bits. Season the sauce with a pinch of salt and a fresh grinding of black pepper, adjusting to your taste.

6. Return all the partially cooked chicken to the skillet, nestling the pieces into the simmering sauce. Turn the chicken to ensure it’s well coated. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the chicken to simmer gently, turning occasionally, until it is fully cooked through and the sauce has slightly thickened, which should take about 3 minutes.

7. Carefully transfer the fully cooked chicken pieces to a serving platter. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, to the skillet with the sauce. Whisk continuously until the butter is completely melted and incorporated, creating a rich, glossy, and emulsified sauce.

8. Generously pour the warm, buttery lemon-caper sauce over the cooked chicken on the platter. Finish with a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley for color and a hint of fresh aroma. Serve immediately and enjoy this exquisite Italian classic!

*How to Maximize Juice from Your Lemons

Sometimes, even two lemons can be stubborn. If you find yourself squeezing without much yield, here are some clever tips to extract every last drop of juice:

1. Warm Them Up: Pop your lemons into the microwave for about 15-20 seconds on medium power. The heat helps to soften the pulp and release more juice when squeezed.
2. Freeze for Future Use: Store lemons in the freezer. Freezing causes the liquid inside the cells to expand and rupture the cell walls. When you thaw and juice them (especially by thawing them in the microwave), you’ll notice a significant increase in juice volume.
3. Pre-Puncture for Flow: Before juicing, take a sharp knife and repeatedly poke it into the lemon, making several small holes and breaking up the internal segments. This creates more pathways for the juice to escape when you squeeze, preventing it from getting trapped.
4. Choose Wisely: When selecting lemons at the store, opt for those that feel heaviest for their size and have a slightly softer, more yielding skin. These are typically riper and packed with more juice.

Adapted From

The Corleone Family Cookbook

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Nadine Bonda

Nadine praised this classic chicken piccata as a simple yet delicious recipe that effortlessly transitions from an easy weekday meal to an elegant dinner party centerpiece. She noted that the enticing aroma filled her kitchen, drawing in family members of all ages, from a 10-month-old to a 75-year-old, all eager to taste it. The dish was ready in just 30 minutes, satisfying everyone’s anticipation. Nadine highlighted the wonderful combination of capers, lemon, and Parmesan cheese, which worked harmoniously in the chicken. For serving, she paired it with steamed broccoli, roasted potatoes, and a refreshing grilled peach salad, making it a hit for her household of three adults and two young children.

Cheryl Freeman

Cheryl found this recipe a fantastic reminder of how quickly an amazing dish can come together, often in under 30 minutes. She expressed her love for the classic combination of chicken and lemon, further enhanced by the briny burst of capers. A key highlight for Cheryl was the innovative use of Parmesan cheese in the flour dredge, which she felt added a delightful touch and depth of flavor. The sauce, she noted, was perfectly balanced and came together rapidly. She served her chicken piccata with a chickpea and orzo salad, prepared earlier in the week, and a side of garlic bread. She also successfully halved the recipe, confirming its adaptability for smaller meals.

Patty Fabian

Patty declared this a wonderfully classic chicken piccata, featuring tender, flavorful chicken cutlets generously coated in a bright, lemony butter sauce, complete with the invigorating briny pop of capers. She found it incredibly delicious and remarkably easy to make, especially when utilizing the convenience of pre-packaged chicken cutlets, requiring minimal pounding. The combination of Parmesan with flour for dredging was a standout for Patty, noting it significantly enhanced the chicken’s flavor, preventing any blandness—a welcome departure from her usual panko breadcrumb method. She served the chicken simply over thin spaghetti, allowing the pasta to absorb every last drop of the terrific sauce, alongside a piece of crusty Italian bread.

Mardi Michels

Mardi described this piccata as a delightful “blast from the past,” recalling how good it was despite not having eaten it in a long time. She praised the dish for its simple ingredients yet immense flavor, making it a perfect, special weeknight meal. Mardi particularly loved the sauce and wished for even more, suggesting it might be an idea to slightly increase the sauce quantity if you’re a sauce enthusiast like her. She served the chicken with rich French velvet mashed potatoes (puréed with plenty of butter and cream) and lightly steamed fresh asparagus, declaring the combination “SO GOOD.”

Deborah Wallace

Deborah expressed her love for the flavors and the straightforward preparation of this chicken piccata. She noted that her chicken breasts were already remarkably even, eliminating the need for pounding, and she successfully used gluten-free flour for the dredge. Her only regret was not having rice or crusty bread on hand to sop up the delicious sauce, finding a green salad inadequate by comparison. However, she rectified this oversight in a subsequent meal, serving the piccata with rice as an accompaniment, which she found to be “Perfect!”

Jenny Latreille

Jenny found the recipe easy to follow, resulting in a very pleasing dish. She highlighted that the cooking method produced moist and deeply flavored chicken, and she confirmed that pounding some pieces to even them out led to accurate cooking times. She particularly enjoyed the delicious sauce and how quickly such a flavorful meal could be prepared. Jenny served her piccata with angel hair pasta and sautéed broccoli rabe, noting that the sauce complemented everything beautifully. She did observe that the Parmesan didn’t cling as much as she expected, but she resolved this by serving extra Parmesan on the side, a simple solution for a minor aesthetic point.

Greg Crawford

Greg affirmed that chicken piccata is a classic dish that’s hard to get wrong, and this recipe stands out as a particularly tasty version. He appreciated the flexibility to adjust the flavors to personal preference. The combination of lemon and capers, he noted, created a perfectly tart and tangy counterpoint to the chicken, which, after being dredged in flour and cooked in olive oil and butter, developed a pleasing crispness. Greg was pleasantly surprised that the crunch of the chicken was retained even after being returned to the sauce. He found the recipe straightforward and uncomplicated, making it an excellent choice for a weeknight meal. He served it with multi-grain bread and grilled asparagus, enjoying the delightful contrast of textures and flavors.

Sandy Hill

Sandy described this dish as both quick and delicious, making it suitable for either a casual weeknight or an elegant meal for guests. She particularly enjoyed the addition of Parmesan cheese in the dredging flour, which she felt added another delectable layer of flavor to the chicken. To ensure none of the wonderful sauce went to waste, Sandy served her chicken piccata with creamy mashed Yukon gold potatoes, perfect for soaking up every last drop of the zesty, buttery goodness.