Chicken Piccata is a classic Italian dish featuring thin, breaded chicken cutlets coated in a tangy lemon-wine butter sauce with briny capers. This version offers both stovetop and air-fryer cooking methods, delivering restaurant-quality results in under 20 minutes.
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Cut chicken into 4 cutlets, then place cutlets between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound out to 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
In a shallow bowl, beat the egg whites and 1 teaspoon of water together.
Place the bread crumbs in another plate. Dip each chicken breast first in the egg, then bread crumbs. Shake of any excess crumbs.
Heat a large skillet over medium to medium-low heat.
Spray a generous amount of olive oil spray on one side of the chicken, and lay it in the pan, oil side down.
Spray the top of the chicken generously to coat and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Set aside until you make the sauce.
For the sauce, clean the saute pan. Over medium-high heat, melt butter, add the lemon juice, wine, chicken broth and the reserved lemon halves, salt, and pepper.
Bring to a boil then simmer until it's reduced in half, about 2 minutes.
Discard the lemon halves, add the capers and serve one chicken cutlet on each plate.
Spoon on the sauce and serve with a slice of lemon and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.
To cook the chicken in the air fryer, pre-heat the air fryer 370F. Cook 5 to 6 minutes, turning halfway until crisp and golden and cooked through.
Refrigerate cooked chicken and sauce separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Reheat chicken gently in a low oven to avoid drying; warm sauce separately on the stovetop.
meat mallet or heavy pan (for pounding) · parchment paper or plastic wrap (for pounding) · large skillet (stovetop method) · air fryer (optional alternative cooking method)
Yes. Preheat the air fryer to 370°F, cook the breaded chicken cutlets for 5–6 minutes, turning halfway through, until crisp and golden. Make the sauce separately on the stovetop.
Cut breasts in half to create 4 cutlets, then place between parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet, rolling pin, or the bottom of a heavy pan.
Yes. Replace with an equal amount of chicken broth or apple cider vinegar for acidity. Skip wine entirely and use 3/4 cup broth total if you prefer an alcohol-free sauce.
Cook 2–3 minutes per side on medium to medium-low heat until golden and no longer pink inside. Air fryer: 5–6 minutes at 370°F, turning halfway.
Bread the chicken cutlets up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerate. Cook fresh for best texture. Leftover cooked chicken can be refrigerated for 3 days and reheated gently in a low oven.
