Quick Chicken Piccata

Ingredients

• 4 skinless , boneless chicken breast halves
• cayenne pepper to taste
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• all-purpose flour for dredging
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon capers , drained
• 0.5 cups white wine
• 0.25 cups fresh lemon juice
• 0.25 cups water
• 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter , cut in ¼-inch slices
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

Instructions

1. 1

   Place chicken breasts between 2 sheets of heavy plastic on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound chicken breasts with the smooth side of a meat mallet to a 1/2-inch thickness.

2. 2

   Season both sides of chicken breasts with cayenne, salt, and black pepper; dredge lightly in flour and shake off any excess.

3. 3

   Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken in the pan, reduce heat to medium, and cook until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side; transfer to a plate.

4. 4

   Cook capers in reserved oil, smashing them lightly to release brine, until warmed through, about 30 seconds. Pour white wine into the skillet and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of food off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook until reduced by half, about 2 minutes.

5. 5

   Stir lemon juice, water, and butter into the reduced wine mixture; cook and stir continuously to form a thick sauce, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir parsley through the sauce.

6. 6

   Return chicken breasts to the pan and cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with sauce spooned over the top.