Chicken Piccata with Lemon Butter Sauce and Capers

This chicken piccata yields four servings: I thin the cutlets and measure the pan sauce first, then cook it right before serving, while the chicken still has a crisp coating with the glossy lemon-butter sauce. Capers add a salty brine to the lemon dish, contributing considerably to the overall flavor (they do a lot here).

I make use of a heavy stainless steel skillet for this task, though cast iron also works effectively, while I precisely pat the chicken dry before it comes into contact with the flour, leaving ample room around each cutlet in the pan for proper cooking process. If the skillet happens to be crowded, then the coating will steam together with it and will continue to remain pale. The butter should be foaming in the pan, while the oil must be shimmering within it. This must occur before the chicken is added to the dish.

The browned bits that are left after searing play an important role in helping to start the sauce, and I gently scrape them up with the wine, then allow the lemon along with capers to reduce the liquid by half, after which I lower the heat before adding cold butter to the entire mixture. Remove the pan from high heat for that final step, and then carefully whisk in the butter with one tablespoon at a time.

Serve these delightful cutlets along with traditional pasta immediately. Alternatively, place them beside deviled egg macaroni salad for a creamy accompaniment. Asian cabbage salad acts as a lighter pairing with many delicious meals. For a larger dinner, grilled shrimp skewers work well alongside the chicken, and I like lemon wheels over with chopped parsley on the top.