Entrée

Pan-Seared Chicken Cutlets, Lemon-Caper Pan Sauce

Name: Pan-Seared Chicken Cutlets, Lemon-Caper Pan Sauce
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts; 0.33 cup all-purpose flour; 1 tsp kosher salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 2 tbsp olive oil; 3 tbsp unsalted butter; 3 cloves garlic; 2 tbsp capers; 0.25 cup lemon juice; 0.75 cup low-sodium chicken broth; 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley

Thin-pounded chicken breasts seared golden, finished in a bright lemon-caper pan sauce built right in the skillet.

Golden pan-seared chicken cutlets topped with a glossy lemon-caper sauce and chopped parsley on a white plate

Active20 min

Total25 min

Dishes2

Per serving$3.50

quick
pan-sauce
citrus
one-pan
weeknight

Ingredients · 4 servings

4	boneless skinless chicken breasts
0.33 cup	all-purpose flour · pantry
1 tsp	kosher salt · pantry
0.5 tsp	black pepper · pantry
2 tbsp	olive oil · pantry
3 tbsp	unsalted butter
3 cloves	garlic grow it ↗
2 tbsp	capers · pantry
0.25 cup	lemon juice
0.75 cup	low-sodium chicken broth · pantry
2 tbsp	flat-leaf parsley grow it ↗

Method

The chef movePounding the chicken to an even thickness so it cooks fast and evenly, then building a real pan sauce from the fond instead of using a bottled sauce

Pat chicken dry, season both sides with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour, shaking off excess.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken 5-6 minutes per side, until golden and internal temperature reaches 165°F / 74°C. Transfer to a plate.
Reduce heat to medium. Add butter and garlic to the same skillet, stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add capers and lemon juice, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Pour in broth and simmer 3-4 minutes, until slightly thickened.
Return chicken to the skillet, spoon sauce over, and simmer 1-2 minutes to warm through.
Off heat, stir in parsley. Plate chicken with sauce spooned over the top.

Nutrition · per serving

Calories410

Protein43g

Fat21g

Carbs8g

Fiber0g

Sodium816mg

Estimated from this recipe's ingredients, not lab-measured — not a substitute for professional dietary advice.

The Why · No Anecdotes

The science, not a story about my childhood.

Why pound chicken breasts to an even thickness before cooking?

Whole chicken breasts are thicker at one end than the other, so the thin end overcooks before the thick end reaches a safe temperature. Pounding to a uniform 1/2-inch thickness means the whole cutlet hits 165°F / 74°C at the same moment, keeping it juicy edge to edge.

How does a pan sauce actually thicken without flour or cornstarch?

Simmering broth and lemon juice in the skillet evaporates water and concentrates the proteins and gelatin released from the browned fond, while the butter emulsifies into tiny fat droplets suspended in the liquid. That emulsion is what gives the sauce body and a glossy, coating consistency, not a thickener.

Suggested sides — swap freely