Crispy Chicken Piccata with Lemon Butter Sauce
Are you craving a restaurant-quality meal that’s elegant, incredibly flavorful, and faster than delivery? This amazing Chicken Piccata recipe gives you a wonderfully crispy, breaded chicken cutlet that holds up beautifully to the luscious lemon butter sauce. This classic Italian-American crispy chicken dish is surprisingly easy to make and delivers a perfect balance of rich, tangy, and savory flavors in every single bite.
- Total Time30 minutes
- Yield2 Servings 1x
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Crispy Chicken:
- 2 split Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (1 whole breast, about 1-1.5 lbs total)
- To taste Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
- 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Extra-Large Egg
- 1/2 tablespoon Water
- 3/4 cup Seasoned Dry Bread Crumbs (Panko can be used)
- 1 tablespoon Good Olive Oil
For the Lemon Butter Sauce & Garnish:
- 3 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, room temp, divided
- 1/3 cup Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice (from 2 lemons)
- 2 Squeezed Lemon Halves (reserved from juicing)
- 1/2 cup Dry White Wine (Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio)
- Sliced Lemon, for serving
- Fresh Parsley, chopped, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat Oven & Prep Chicken: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment. Place chicken breasts between two sheets of parchment paper and pound to an even ¼-inch thickness. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Set Up Breading Station: You’ll need three shallow dishes: 1) Flour mixed with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. 2) Egg and water, beaten together. 3) Seasoned bread crumbs.
- Bread and Sear Chicken: Dip each pounded chicken cutlet first in the seasoned flour (shake off excess), then in the egg wash (let excess drip off), and finally, press it into the bread crumbs to coat both sides.
- Sear: Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium to medium-low heat. Add the breaded chicken (in batches if needed) and cook for 2 minutes per side, just until golden brown.
- Bake the Chicken: Transfer the seared, golden chicken to the prepared parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temp reaches 165°F) and the breading is crisp.
- Make the Sauce: While chicken bakes, wipe out the sauté pan. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the lemon juice, white wine, the reserved squeezed lemon halves, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper.
- Reduce Sauce: Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Let it bubble and reduce for about 2 minutes, until reduced by about half.
- Finish Sauce & Serve: Remove the pan from the heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of room-temperature butter. Swirl the pan continuously until the butter melts and forms a smooth, emulsified sauce. Discard the lemon halves. Place one crispy chicken breast on each plate, spoon the warm sauce over the top, and garnish with a fresh lemon slice and chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Pound Evenly: Pounding the chicken to an even ¼-inch thickness is the key to a tender, quick-cooking cutlet.
- Don’t Overcrowd: Don’t overcrowd the pan when searing the chicken, as it will cause the chicken to steam instead of sear, resulting in soggy breading.
- Finish in Oven: Searing first and then baking is the secret to getting a crispy crust while ensuring the chicken is perfectly cooked through without burning the breading.
- “Mount” with Butter: Swirling the cold butter into the sauce off the heat is a classic technique called “monter au beurre.” It’s the secret to a creamy sauce that doesn’t “break” or separate.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Main Course
- Method: Baking, Searing
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 500 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 950 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 165 mg
