NYT Chicken Breast Recipes: Lemon-Caper Skillet Dinner

This lemon-caper skillet chicken pairs thin chicken breast cutlets with a quick pan sauce of broth, butter, lemon, and briny capers. It cooks in one skillet and is easy to serve with potatoes, rice, or bread to catch the sauce.

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 1 1/2 lb (680 g) total
3/4 tsp fine salt (4.5 g)
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper (1 g)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (30 g), for coating
1 tbsp olive oil (15 ml)
2 tbsp unsalted butter, divided (28 g)
1 medium shallot, finely chopped, about 1 1/2 oz (40 g)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped, about 1 tsp (6 g)
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth (180 ml)
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (45 ml)
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest (about 2 g)
2 tbsp drained capers (18 g)
1 tsp Dijon mustard (5 g), optional
2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (8 g)

Instructions

Make even cutlets. Pat the chicken dry. Place one breast flat on a cutting board and, keeping your hand flat on top, slice horizontally through its thickest side to make two thinner pieces. Repeat with the second breast. If a piece is uneven, cover it with parchment or plastic wrap and gently pound the thicker portion until the cutlet is about 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) thick. Even thickness helps the chicken cook at the same pace without drying out the thinner edges.
Season and coat. Combine the salt and pepper, then season both sides of the cutlets. Put the flour in a shallow plate and lightly dredge each piece, turning to coat; tap off the excess. The coating should be a fine dusting rather than a thick layer. Keep the seasoned chicken separate from any utensils or plates that will later hold cooked food.
Sear in batches. Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon (14 g) of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter is foamy and the pan is hot, add two cutlets without crowding. Cook for about 3 minutes on the first side and 3 minutes on the second, until golden, then transfer to a clean plate. Repeat with the remaining cutlets. If the pan looks dry before the second batch, add a small drizzle of oil. The chicken will finish cooking in the sauce, so the initial sear is for browning rather than a reason to leave the meat in the pan until it becomes dry.
Start the pan sauce. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the chopped shallot to the skillet and cook for about 1 minute, stirring and scraping up browned bits. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant; do not let it turn dark brown. Pour in the chicken broth and lemon juice, then stir in the lemon zest, capers, and Dijon if using. Simmer for about 2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan so the browned residue dissolves into the liquid.
Finish the chicken safely. Return the cutlets and any juices on the plate to the skillet, turning them once to coat. Simmer gently for about 3 minutes, then check the thickest part of each piece with a food thermometer. USDA FSIS states that poultry must reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F (74°C); continue cooking briefly and recheck any cutlet that has not reached it. Thin cutlets can reach temperature quickly, so use the thermometer rather than relying only on the clock. Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean platter.
Finish and serve. Take the skillet off the heat and whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoon (14 g) butter until the sauce looks lightly glossy. Stir in the parsley. Spoon the sauce and capers over the chicken and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. Taste the sauce; add a little more lemon juice for a sharper finish, or a spoonful of broth if it tastes too concentrated.

Tips

Start with dry chicken. Surface moisture makes cutlets steam instead of brown. Pat them dry just before seasoning, and leave space between pieces in the skillet. If your pan is not large enough to hold two pieces with room around them, cook one cutlet at a time and keep the first batch on a clean plate while you prepare the sauce.
Use broth to control the sauce. Low-sodium broth gives you room to adjust salt at the end, especially because capers are already salty. If you only have regular broth, start with less added salt and taste the sauce before serving. Vegetable broth works as a substitute, though it gives the sauce a slightly different savory flavor.
Choose the capers you can find. Small nonpareil capers are convenient, but larger capers work too; roughly chop them if you prefer their flavor distributed through the sauce. Rinse capers if they taste particularly salty, then drain them well. If capers are unavailable, chopped green olives can provide a similar briny note, though they are milder and less sharp.
Keep the lemon balanced. Use fresh juice for the clearest flavor, and add it gradually if your lemon is especially large or tart. Lemon zest adds fragrance without as much acidity, so it is a useful way to make the sauce taste more lemony without making it too sour. Avoid grating the bitter white pith beneath the peel.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the chicken hot with a starch that can absorb the pan sauce. Buttered egg noodles, steamed rice, couscous, or mashed potatoes all work well; crusty bread is an easy option for a casual meal. Spoon sauce over the starch as well as the cutlets, and make sure each serving gets some capers and parsley. A simple green salad with a mild vinaigrette adds freshness without competing with the lemon.

For vegetables, try roasted green beans, asparagus, broccoli, or sautéed spinach. If you want to cook a vegetable in the same pan, prepare it before the chicken and set it aside, then return it to the skillet briefly while the chicken finishes. That keeps the cutlets from being crowded during browning and avoids leaving the chicken in the pan while a side dish cooks. For a fuller plate, add a small bowl of sliced tomatoes or cucumber dressed with olive oil and a pinch of salt.

Variations

Make it dairy-free: Replace the butter with an equal amount of olive oil or a dairy-free butter substitute. The sauce will be less rounded and creamy, but the broth, lemon, and capers still make a flavorful, light pan sauce. Whisk the replacement in off the heat as you would the butter.

Use white wine: Replace 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the broth with dry white wine. Add it after the shallot and garlic, simmer for about 1 minute, then add the remaining broth and lemon juice. This gives the sauce a more wine-forward aroma; use broth alone if you prefer not to cook with alcohol.

Add herbs or greens: Chopped dill or chives can replace some or all of the parsley. For a more substantial skillet, stir in a few handfuls of baby spinach after the chicken is cooked and let the residual heat wilt it. A handful of halved cherry tomatoes can also simmer in the sauce for a few minutes, adding sweetness and extra liquid.

Use chicken thighs: Boneless, skinless thighs can replace the breasts, but they are thicker and vary in size, so their cooking time will be longer. Brown them well, then simmer until a thermometer reads 165°F (74°C) in the thickest portion. If using bone-in thighs, expect a substantially longer cook and check each piece carefully rather than following the cutlet timing.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate cooked chicken and sauce within 2 hours of cooking, in a covered airtight container. It keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. For the best texture, store the cutlets with the sauce so they do not dry out, and keep any side dishes in a separate container. If you want to freeze leftovers, place them in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months for best quality. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheat gently in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of broth or water, turning the chicken once and spooning sauce over it. Heat leftovers to 165°F (74°C), checking the thickest piece with a food thermometer. You can also microwave a portion in a covered microwave-safe dish, stirring the sauce halfway through and checking the chicken temperature before eating. Avoid prolonged high heat: chicken breast can become tough when reheated aggressively. If the sauce has thickened in the refrigerator, loosen it with broth a tablespoon at a time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this recipe with thick chicken breasts?

Yes. Slice them horizontally into cutlets and gently pound any unusually thick areas so the pieces are close to an even thickness. Cooking whole, thick breasts would take longer and make the thin edges more likely to dry out before the centers are done. Always check the thickest part of every piece with a thermometer.

Can I make the sauce without flour?

Yes. Skip the flour coating and sear the seasoned chicken directly in the oil and butter. The sauce will be thinner because the flour normally helps it cling to the chicken. For a slightly thicker sauce without flour, simmer it for a few extra minutes before returning the cutlets, then whisk in the final butter off the heat.

How do I know when the chicken is done?

Use an instant-read food thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a cutlet, avoiding the skillet. Poultry is safe when it reaches 165°F (74°C). Color and firmness are not reliable substitutes for a temperature check, especially with thin pieces that can cook quickly.

Can I prepare anything ahead?

You can chop the shallot, garlic, and parsley, measure the broth, and zest and juice the lemon earlier in the day. Keep the prepared ingredients covered in the refrigerator, and cut and season the chicken shortly before cooking for easier handling. The finished dish is best freshly cooked, since reheating can make breast meat less tender.

What can I use instead of capers?

Chopped green olives are the closest easy substitute because they bring a salty, briny flavor, but they are less sharp than capers. Use about 2 tablespoons (18 g), taste the sauce before adding extra salt, and add a small splash of lemon juice if you want more brightness. The result will be similar in spirit, though not identical.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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