Chicken Piccata · Classic
Lemon Caper Chicken Piccata
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Before you start
Gather your ingredients
Swaps for boneless skinless chicken breasts
Instead of chicken breasts or thighs
- Chicken thighs: The same weight. Juicier and richer; cook a few minutes longer.
- Extra-firm tofu or chickpeas: About the same weight of pressed tofu, or 1½ cups chickpeas per ½ lb chicken. A different dish, but it takes the same seasoning well.
More for chicken breasts or thighs
Cook all chicken to 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part, checked with a thermometer.
Swaps for kosher salt
Instead of salt
- Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
- Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.
Swaps for all-purpose flour
Instead of all-purpose flour
- Gluten-free 1:1 baking flour: The same amount, a blend that includes xanthan gum. A little grittier and more crumbly, browns faster and dries out sooner.
- Bread flour: The same amount. More gluten: chewier cookies and bread, tougher cakes.
- Whole wheat flour: Up to half of the flour. Nuttier, darker and denser.
All 4 swaps for all-purpose flour
Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.
Swaps for olive oil
Instead of olive oil
- Avocado oil or another neutral oil: The same amount. No olive flavor; avocado oil handles higher heat.
- Butter: The same amount. Richer and nutty when browned.
- A neutral oil + more seasoning: The same amount. Dressings lose the fruity, peppery note; a little extra lemon, garlic or mustard makes up for it.
Swaps for unsalted butter
Instead of butter
- Salted butter: The same amount, with about ¼ tsp less salt per stick (½ cup) elsewhere in the recipe. Nothing noticeable once you cut the salt.
- Plant-based butter sticks: The same amount. The closest swap.
- Refined coconut oil: The same amount: solid when the butter is soft or cold, melted when it is melted. It is all fat, so bakes are a bit more tender and rich, with no butter flavor.
Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.
Swaps for garlic
Instead of garlic
- Garlic powder: ⅛ tsp for each clove. Mellower and sweeter, with no bite.
- Jarred minced garlic: ½ tsp for each clove. Milder and slightly sour from the preserving liquid.
Swaps for chicken broth
Instead of broth
- Vegetable broth: The same amount. Lighter and slightly sweeter.
- Bouillon cube, powder or paste + water: Follow the label for the amount of liquid. Close in flavor; a little saltier.
- Water + extra seasoning: The same amount, with ½ tsp salt per cup and extra garlic, onion or herbs. Flatter and lighter, but fine where other ingredients bring plenty of flavor.
Swaps for dry white wine
Instead of white wine
- Broth + vinegar or lemon juice: The same amount of chicken or vegetable broth, plus 1 tsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice per cup. Savory and bright; a little less fruity.
- Dry vermouth: The same amount. Herbal and a bit stronger.
- White grape juice + vinegar: Half white grape juice and half broth, plus a splash of vinegar. Sweeter; fine in small amounts.
Cooking doesn't burn off all the alcohol: a dish simmered 15 minutes can keep close to half of it, and even after 2 hours some is left. Use an alcohol-free swap for anyone who avoids alcohol.
Swaps for lemon juice
Instead of lemon juice
- Lime juice: The same amount. A different, more floral aroma; works almost everywhere.
- Bottled lemon juice: The same amount. More sour and flatter; fine in cooking and baking, less bright in dressings and drinks.
- White wine vinegar or white vinegar: Half as much. Sharper, with no citrus aroma.
Swaps for unsalted butter
Instead of butter
- Salted butter: The same amount, with about ¼ tsp less salt per stick (½ cup) elsewhere in the recipe. Nothing noticeable once you cut the salt.
- Plant-based butter sticks: The same amount. The closest swap.
- Refined coconut oil: The same amount: solid when the butter is soft or cold, melted when it is melted. It is all fat, so bakes are a bit more tender and rich, with no butter flavor.
Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.
Swaps for fresh parsley
Instead of parsley
- Dried parsley: 1 tsp dried for each 1 tbsp chopped fresh (a third as much). Very mild; it adds color more than flavor.
- Cilantro: The same amount. Stronger and citrusy; suits Mexican and Asian dishes.
- Celery leaves or chervil: The same amount. Celery leaves are peppery and grassy; chervil is mild with a hint of anise.
Step 1 of 11
Slice (how to slice)
Slice Cut food into flat pieces of the same thickness. 1. Give round food a flat side to sit on.2. Hold it with your fingertips curled under.3. Cut with long strokes, pushing the knife forward and down rather than straight down.4. Move your guiding hand back the same distance each time so every slice matches. Done when: The slices are even. For meat, slicing across the grain (across the lines of muscle) gives the tenderest bite. Safety: Keep the fingertips of your guiding hand curled under, knuckles toward the blade, and set the board on a damp towel so it can't slide. Slice hot roasts on a board with a groove for the juices.How to slice evenly: mistakes to avoidStep 2 of 11
Lay the cutlets between sheets of plastic wrap and them with a meat mallet to an even 1/4 inch thick.
pound (how to pound thin)
Pound thin Flatten meat to an even thickness so it cooks quickly and evenly. 1. Put the meat between two sheets of plastic wrap or in a zip-top bag with the air pressed out.2. Start in the thickest part and hit it with the flat side of a meat mallet, a rolling pin or a small heavy pan.3. Work outward, pushing as much as hitting, so it spreads instead of tearing.4. Stop when it is the thickness the recipe asks for all over. Done when: The piece is the same thickness edge to edge, usually ¼ to ½ inch, with no holes. Safety: Raw meat, poultry and fish juices carry germs: use a separate board, wash your hands and tools after, and cook to a safe temperature checked with a thermometer.How to pound chicken and cutlets thin: mistakes to avoidStep 3 of 11
Season (how to season to taste)
Season to taste Add salt (and pepper or acid) bit by bit, tasting as you go, until the food tastes fully of itself. 1. Season meat and vegetables before cooking, holding the salt high so it falls evenly.2. Taste the dish near the end with a clean spoon.3. If it tastes flat, add a pinch of salt, stir and taste again.4. If it tastes heavy or dull, a squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar brightens it.5. Stop when another pinch wouldn't make it better. Done when: The flavors are clear and bright, not flat and not salty. Safety: Don't taste dishes that hold raw meat, poultry or eggs; season them by the recipe's amounts and adjust after cooking.How to season to taste: mistakes to avoidStep 4 of 11
Press each cutlet into the flour on both sides and shake off the extra.
Step 5 of 11
Heat the oil and 1 tbsp butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until the butter stops foaming.
Step 6 of 11
Cook the cutlets (in two batches if needed) until golden on the first side.
Step 7 of 11
Flip and cook until golden and 165°F (74°C) in the center. Move them to a plate.
165°F
Step 8 of 11
Lower the heat to medium and add the garlic to the pan. Stir until fragrant.
Step 9 of 11
Pour in the broth, wine and lemon juice and . until by about a third.
scrape up the browned bits (how to deglaze)
Deglaze Pour liquid into a hot pan and scrape up the browned bits stuck to the bottom, which hold a lot of flavor. 1. After browning, pour off all but a spoonful of fat.2. With the pan still hot, pour in wine, broth or water; it will sizzle and steam.3. Scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon or flat spatula until the brown layer dissolves.4. Let it bubble down, as the recipe says, into the base of a sauce. Done when: The bottom of the pan is clean and the liquid has turned brown and tasty. Safety: Take the pan off the flame before pouring in wine or spirits, and turn your face away from the steam.How to deglaze a pan: mistakes to avoidSimmer (how to simmer)
Simmer Cook liquid just below a boil, with small bubbles breaking the surface now and then. 1. Bring the liquid up over medium-high heat.2. As soon as bubbles rise steadily, turn the heat down.3. Adjust until only a few small bubbles break the surface every second or two.4. Stir now and then and check that it hasn't crept back to a boil. Done when: You see lazy, small bubbles, not a rolling boil. A "bare" simmer has just a bubble here and there. Safety: Steam burns fast: lift lids and foil away from your face, tipping the far edge up first.How to simmer: mistakes to avoidreduced (how to reduce)
Reduce Simmer a liquid uncovered so water steams off and the flavor and body get stronger. 1. Use a wide pan; more surface means faster reducing.2. Bring the liquid to a lively simmer, uncovered.3. Stir now and then and scrape the sides back in.4. Look at the level against the pan, or dip a spoon to check thickness.5. Salt at the end, since salt gets stronger as it reduces. Done when: The level has dropped by the amount the recipe says, and it is glossy and coats a spoon. How to reduce a sauce: mistakes to avoidStep 10 of 11
Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the capers, then swirl in the cold butter a piece at a time until the sauce turns creamy.
Step 11 of 11
Return the chicken to the pan, turn it in the sauce and sprinkle with parsley. Serve right away.
All done
Enjoy!
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