What's our secret to moist and tender chicken breasts? Seasoning them with salt and pepper one hour before cooking; it ensures they stay juicy. Coat the chicken with this bright, lemony butter sauce for an irresistible dish.

The Best Chicken Piccata

Ingredients

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2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 8 ounces each)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 

1 large lemon 

1/4 cup all-purpose flour 

1 tablespoon olive oil 

6 tablespoons unsalted butter 

5 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced 

1/2 cup dry white wine 

1/4 cup brined capers, drained 

1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped 

Directions

1. Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet. Cut two 12-inch sheets of plastic wrap.
2. Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise, making 4 roughly equal pieces; they should look like large chicken tenders. Place one sheet of plastic on a clean cutting board. Put a chicken piece in the center of the plastic and top with the other sheet of plastic. Pound the chicken with the flat side of a meat mallet, starting in the center and working your way to the edges, until the chicken is 1/4-inch thick and 6 to 8 inches long. Transfer to the wire rack. Repeat with the remaining chicken, one piece at a time. Liberally sprinkle with salt and pepper. Refrigerate the chicken cutlets uncovered for 1 hour. 
3. Remove the zest from half of the lemon in wide strips with a vegetable peeler, leaving the bitter white pith behind. Halve and juice the whole lemon.  
4. Put the flour in a shallow bowl or plate. Dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until very hot, about 1 minute. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and melt. Working in 2 batches, cook the cutlets, adding another tablespoon of butter to the skillet between batches, until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side (it's ok if the chicken is not completely cooked through, it will finish cooking in the sauce). Transfer the cutlets to a plate. 
5. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and 1 tablespoon of the butter to the skillet and cook until the garlic is tender and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the wine and cook until almost completely evaporated, about 4 minutes. Add the capers, lemon zest, 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, 1/4 cup water and the cutlets with any accumulated juices and bring to a boil. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Turn the chicken to coat in the sauce and cook until the butter melts and the sauce thickens slightly. Garnish with chopped parsley. 

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/the-best-chicken-piccata-7197228?nl=ROTD_082521_A_featurecta&%24web_only=true&bsft_aaid=cba88230-b22c-4c07-a9c1-292398476e2c&bsft_eid=37f6c2d1-b89d-448a-bbd1-0c215390073a&bsft_clkid=c476653f-fd2f-4645-b2f5-8b845c483e8b&bsft_uid=9759128a-fc86-4f2b-9b42-ebaed1b308db&bsft_mid=04dc3281-b9c6-42f7-853e-d11185b26cb9&bsft_mime_type=html&bsft_ek=2021-08-25T16%3A40%3A59Z&bsft_lx=7&bsft_tv=2&bid=efcf1b10-daf8-4e8e-a32a-a12aee6a7307&expid=37f6c2d1-b89d-448a-bbd1-0c215390073a&c32=e5ac608478fbb8bda4290a5047bb6d5be73e154f&source&gender=unknown&birth_year=0&lvrmp=a9e0bef645d4f7c47f5ddb76e5cb74195f3e0d302553b590c1c2e4f4c882f48b&%243p=e_blueshift_sparkpost&_branch_match_id=959319124914156337