Yields: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
Ingredients:
Chicken:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (around 1.5 pounds total)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Sauce:
- 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes and chilled
- 1/4 cup capers, drained
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 4-5 cloves)
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
For Serving (optional):
- Cooked pasta (angel hair or spaghetti recommended)
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
Prepare the chicken:
- Butterfly each chicken breast or pound them to an even thickness (about ½ inch).
- Season generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Place flour on a shallow plate or dish.
Cook the chicken:
- Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Dredge the chicken breasts lightly in flour, shaking off excess.
- Cook the chicken in batches (if needed) until golden brown on each side, about 4-5 minutes per side.
- Remove chicken and set aside on a plate.
Build the sauce:
- Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the same skillet.
- Sauté the capers for about 30 seconds, or until lightly fragrant.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Deglaze the pan with white wine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Simmer for 1 minute.
- Add the chicken broth and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer, and cook until the sauce slightly thickens, about 5-7 minutes.
Finish the dish:
- Reduce heat to low. Slowly whisk in the chilled butter, one tablespoon at a time, until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Return the cooked chicken breasts to the skillet and simmer for 2-3 minutes, or until heated through.
- Stir in the chopped parsley.
Serving:
- Serve the chicken immediately over your favorite cooked pasta, spoon the sauce over generously.
- Garnish with lemon wedges and additional parsley, if desired.
Tips:
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: Cook the chicken breasts in batches if your skillet isn’t large enough. This ensures proper browning.
- Adjust the lemon: If you like it really tangy, add a touch more lemon juice.
- Make it creamy: Add a splash of heavy cream at the end for an extra rich sauce.
- Pasta choice: While angel hair or spaghetti are traditional, other pasta shapes work well too!
