Last Updated on September 17, 2023
Chicken piccata, an Italian-American staple of thin pan-fried cutlets enveloped in a buttery rich and lemony bright sauce with briny capers, is truly special. It’s easy, calls for mostly pantry-ish ingredients and is just delicious. In this recipe, there’s the addition of wilted greens that are quickly sautéed in olive oil and garlic to round out the meal a little more and make you feel good if you decide to add extra butter than what’s called for here.
Some practical notes: Try this with ButcherBox’s Chicken Breast, but know that thighs can also work here and you only need to pound them, not slice them in half. Alternative flours can also work here, like chickpea flour, and will add a nutty flavor. This is also great with crushed chili flakes or more umami-driven ingredients like chopped anchovy or a splash of fish sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs ButcherBox Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 bunch kale or chard, stemmed and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely grated or chopped
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp capers, chopped
- 2 tbsp shallots, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon
Instructions
- Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise, stack and set aside. Lay a large piece of plastic on a counter or large cutting board then, one by one, lay a piece of chicken in the center. Lay another piece of plastic the same size over the top and then gently pound chicken with the flat side of a meat tenderizer or other blunt tool into ¼-inch thick cutlets. Season the cutlets with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Place the flour on a plate and dredge each chicken cutlet in the four, making sure to coat each piece all over.
- Let the chicken rest, and sauté the greens. Over medium-high, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large (12-inch diameter) skillet. Once hot, add the chopped greens, season with salt and pepper, add 2 to 3 tablespoons water and cook, tossing and turning with tongs until wilted. Then toss in the garlic and transfer greens to a serving platter.
- Wipe the pan clean, turn up the heat to high and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter. Once hot, shake off excess flour from the cutlets and gently place in the hot pan in batches (about 2 to 3 cutlets at a time), searing each side for about 2 minutes until lightly golden on both sides and cooked through, about 5 minutes total. Transfer the cooked cutlets to the wilted greens platter.
- Turn down the heat to medium and add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, capers and shallots. Cook, stirring regularly until the shallots are softened, about 3 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth and simmer until reduced by half, then add the lemon juice. Taste the sauce, season with salt and more pepper, if desired. Turn off the heat, pour sauce over the chicken cutlets and greens and serve immediately.
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