Chicken Piccata

Tender chicken cutlets get a golden, crispy crust before swimming in a bright lemon-caper sauce that's pure elegance in under 40 minutes. The buttery pan sauce with garlic and shallots creates a restaurant-quality finish that tastes far more complicated than it actually is. Perfect for weeknight dinners when you want to impress without the fuss.

Ingredients

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken cutlets or breasts, butterflied to create thinner pieces

1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

1 3/4 tsp sea salt, divided

1 cup all-purpose flour

10 tbsp unsalted butter, divided

4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 tbsp minced garlic (from 4-6 cloves)

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1 tsp lemon zest (from 1 lemon), plus more to taste

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp capers, drained

Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Season the chicken all over with the pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt. Place the flour in a shallow bowl. Dip each piece of chicken in the flour, turning to coat and shaking off any excess. Discard the flour when finished dredging.

Heat 3 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat until the butter has melted. Add half of the chicken and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining chicken, adding more butter and oil to the skillet as needed. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter.

Add the shallot to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute more.

Stir in the stock and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, 4-5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, then stir in 4 tablespoons of the butter, capers, lemon zest, lemon juice, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

Pour the sauce over the chicken and garnish with parsley before serving.