Chicken piccata with lemon-butter caper sauce

• 4 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 60 g all-purpose flourfor dredging
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp black pepperfreshly ground
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 60 g unsalted butterdivided into two portions
• 3 garlic clovesthinly sliced
• 120 ml dry white wine
• 180 ml chicken brothstore-bought
• 2 medium lemonone juiced (about 60ml), one sliced into rounds for the sauce
• 2 tbs capersdrained
• 15 g flat-leaf parsleyroughly chopped

1. 1

   Halve each chicken breast horizontally to create 8 thin cutlets. Place them between two sheets of plastic wrap and gently pound with a meat mallet or rolling pin to an even 1cm thickness. Season both sides with the kosher salt and black pepper.

   Tip: Even thickness is the secret to perfectly cooked cutlets — thick spots will be raw while thin spots dry out.

2. 2

   Spread the flour on a shallow plate. Dredge each cutlet lightly on both sides, shaking off the excess. The coating should be whisper-thin — just enough to create a golden crust.

3. 3

   Heat the olive oil and half the butter (30g) in the skillet over medium-high heat until the butter foams and the foaming begins to subside. Working in two batches to avoid crowding, cook the cutlets until golden brown on the first side, about 3 minutes.

   Tip: Don't move the chicken once it's in the pan — let the crust develop undisturbed.

4. 4

   Flip the cutlets and cook until the second side is golden and the chicken is cooked through with no pink remaining, about 2 minutes more. Transfer all cutlets to a plate and loosely tent with foil. Repeat with the second batch if needed.

5. 5

   Reduce heat to medium. Add the sliced garlic to the same skillet and cook in the residual fat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and just turning pale gold, about 30 seconds.

6. 6

   Pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon. Let it bubble and reduce by about half — it should smell bright and boozy, about 1-2 minutes.

7. 7

   Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, lemon rounds, and capers. Bring to a steady simmer and let the sauce reduce until slightly thickened and glossy enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes.

8. 8

   Remove the skillet from heat. Stir in the remaining 30g of butter until it melts into a silky, emulsified sauce. Nestle the chicken cutlets back into the sauce, spooning it over the top. Scatter the chopped parsley over everything.

   Tip: Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a covered skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of broth to revive the sauce.

• skillet (30cm (12-inch))
• cutting board
• meat mallet or rolling pin
• shallow bowl or plate

Per serving

Nutritional values are estimates only.