Description
A speedy, elegant chicken piccata with thin, golden-crusted cutlets and a bright, buttery lemon-wine pan sauce. Great for a weekday dinner that still feels special.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 split boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 whole breast, halved)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 extra-large egg
- ½ tablespoon water
- ¾ cup seasoned dry breadcrumbs (or panko + seasoning)
- Olive oil, for frying
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (reserve divided)
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons); keep the squeezed halves
- ½ cup dry white wine (or swap chicken broth if you prefer)
- Lemon rounds, for garnish
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat and prep: Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Thin the chicken: Place each piece between sheets of plastic wrap or parchment and gently pound to about ¼-inch thickness so they cook quickly and evenly.
- Set up coating: Arrange three shallow dishes: one with the flour (seasoned with a pinch of salt and pepper), one with the beaten egg mixed with the water, and one with the breadcrumbs.
- Bread the cutlets: Dredge each chicken piece in flour, shake off the excess, dip into the egg wash, then press into the breadcrumbs to coat completely.
- Brown the chicken: Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-low to medium heat. Sear the cutlets about 2 minutes per side until they’re golden brown. Transfer them to the prepared sheet pan and finish in the oven for 5–10 minutes, until cooked through.
- Make the sauce: Wipe the skillet clean, then melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat. Add the lemon juice, white wine, and the reserved used lemon halves; season lightly. Let the liquid bubble and reduce by about half (roughly 2 minutes). Remove the lemon halves and, off the heat, whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter until the sauce is glossy and emulsified.
- Finish & serve: Place the chicken on plates, spoon the lemon-butter sauce over top, and garnish with lemon slices and chopped parsley.
Notes
- If you’d rather not use wine, chicken stock plus a splash of white wine vinegar works fine.
- Letting the breaded chicken rest 5–10 minutes before cooking helps the crust adhere.
- Fresh lemon juice makes a noticeable difference — bottle juice isn’t the same.
- Serve with pasta, roasted potatoes, or a simple green vegetable to soak up the sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 460 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 540 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 41 g
- Cholesterol: 165 mg