At the start of summer, we introduced our latest food series: one ingredient, three ways. Up to now, we’ve highlighted chickpeas and eggs, and this week our attention turns to chicken breasts. Given how simple it is to make chicken breasts ordinary, I often overlook how effortlessly they can be transformed into something incredibly delicious. Today’s trio of recipes — from cookbook authors Odette Williams, Christina Chaey, and Dan Pelosi — are so enticing that my freezer is now bursting with poultry. Cast aside any memories of dry, bland cutlets, and explore these standout recipes…
Odette Williams, cookbook author and writer of the newsletter Devour
“Here’s the thing about this chicken piccata: Everyone – and I mean everyone — loves it. It’s incredibly straightforward and comes together in a flash, yet it has a restaurant-quality allure. Whenever I prepare this for my son’s friends, they think I’m some kind of magician. It’s a glossy, lemony, bold-flavored classic that never fails to impress.”
Odette’s Chicken Piccata
Serves 4
2 skinless chicken breasts (around 1 1/2 lbs)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 tbsp cold, unsalted butter, divided
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/3 cup white wine
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp drained capers
A handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Slice each chicken breast in half, horizontally. Working with one at a time, place each piece between two sheets of parchment paper, and use a meat tenderizer or rolling pin to pound to an even 1/4 to 1/8-inch thickness. On a large plate, combine flour, a bit of salt, and several generous cranks of pepper. Dredge each piece of chicken through the seasoned flour.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Incorporate two chicken pieces and sauté until golden (around three minutes per side). Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken, adding a splash more oil if necessary. Keep cooked chicken on a plate, somewhere warm.
Reduce heat to low. Add three tablespoons of butter and the sliced garlic, and gently sauté until they turn golden (1-2 minutes). Add wine and cook until the liquid is reduced by half (1-2 minutes). Add stock and cook to reduce for another 3-4 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, capers, remaining three tablespoons of butter, and parsley. (Some days I add in a little extra butter here.) Give the skillet a shimmy to help emulsify the sauce.
Return chicken to skillet and coat in sauce. Season as needed and serve — in the skillet or on a warmed serving platter, with sauce poured overtop. Ta da!
Christina Chaey, recipe developer and writer of the newsletter Gentle Foods
“I frequently purchase chicken breasts and broccoli for the week — and nine times out of 10, I end up using them to craft this quick sesame chicken recipe, developed by my former colleague, Rhoda Boone. It’s light yet comforting and super delicious. The recipe suggests steaming the broccoli in a separate pot (which isn’t as fussy as it may seem, I assure you), but if you’re making stovetop rice, you can instead toss the broccoli florets on top of the rice in the last two or three minutes of cooking; the broccoli will steam in the residual heat from the rice. Can you believe I’m a pro at making this dish?”
Quick Sesame Chicken With Broccoli
Recipe by Rhoda Boone
Serves 4
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking white rice
1 3/4 tsps kosher salt, divided, plus more
8 cups broccoli florets
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, thighs, or a mix, patted dry and cut into 1-inch chunks
4 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp honey
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp Sriracha
1 large clove garlic, finely grated
1 tsp finely grated ginger
1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, divided
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Prepare rice with a pinch of salt, following package instructions. Set a steamer basket in a medium pot filled with an inch of water. Cover and bring to a boil. Steam broccoli, covered, until crisp-tender (5–6 minutes). Drain and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk cornstarch, pepper, and 1 1/2 tsp salt. Add chicken and toss to coat. Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add half of the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and a light brown crust forms (roughly five minutes). Meanwhile, whisk together honey, soy sauce, vinegar, Sriracha, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, 1 tbsp sesame seeds, and the remaining 1/4 tsp salt in a medium bowl.
Transfer the initial batch of chicken to a plate. Heat the remaining 2 tbsp vegetable oil and cook the rest of the chicken. Add the sauce to the skillet, along with the first batch of chicken. Toss well and cook until the sauce is reduced and thickened (about two minutes). Fold in reserved broccoli, toss to coat, and remove from heat. Divide chicken and broccoli among four plates and top with scallions and the remaining 1 tbsp sesame seeds. Serve with rice on the side.
Dan Pelosi, food writer and author of Let’s Party and Let’s Eat
“I grew up deeply immersed in chicken-cutlet culture. There was always a batch available to eat. Pair a cutlet with almost any food, and it just fits — much like a purse that complements every outfit. No one can resist a good chicken cutlet, and I can proudly say mine are some of the finest around. There’s parmesan and lemon zest in the panko coating, and brown mustard in the egg wash. It imparts a flavorful depth without complicated ingredients. You can use these cutlets as a salad base (or topping), for chicken parm or a sub, or simply with a pinch of salt or squeeze of lemon on top.”
Grossy’s Chicken Cutlets
Serves 3-4
3 lbs boneless skinless thin-cut chicken breasts
1 cup flour (any type, including gluten-free flours, will work!)
2 eggs
2 tbsp spicy brown mustard
1 cup plain panko (breadcrumbs work too — I just prefer panko)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper
Olive oil, or other neutral frying oil
Prepare to coat your cutlets. I prefer doing them all at once, as the process tends to occupy your hands — so you might as well just get it over with in one go. Gather two small trays or plates and two medium bowls. Place your cutlets in one tray. In one bowl, add flour. In the other bowl, add eggs and mustard. Whisk until blended. In the other tray, add panko, parmesan, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to mix.
Set the trays and bowls on your countertop and start coating your cutlets in this sequence: flour, egg, panko. The ambition to perfectly coat each cutlet without creating a mess should be abandoned immediately — perfection doesn’t taste good! As you coat each cutlet, place them on a tray.
Get your largest frying pan and fill it with oil (it should be about 1/4 inch deep). Heat the oil over medium heat for a few minutes to prepare for frying. Utilize a pair of tongs if you have them — they’ll assist in handling the cutlets during frying. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and set it on the counter, near the stove. In batches, place cutlets in the hot oil (do not overcrowd the pan), and let them fry on each side for about 4-5 minutes. Be sure to move them about the pan as there will be hot spots, and we want cutlets to cook evenly! Once they’re golden-brown, remove from the oil and rest them on the lined baking sheet. On your first round of cutlets, cut into one to ensure they’re cooked through. Note your timing, and adjust as needed for the next round.
You can keep cutlets warm in a 200°F oven during and after your fry. (Just don’t leave them TOO long, or they’ll dry out.) From here, you can use them however you’d like. Serve hot or at room temperature (room-temp cutlets make an amazing sandwich). Delight in them!
Thank you, Odette, Christina, and Dan! Do you have a favorite way to prepare chicken breasts? Share it with me — my freezer calls!
P.S. More outstanding chicken recipes, including easy curried-chicken sandwiches and a five-ingredient chicken dinner (with lemony spinach — yum!).
(Chicken piccata photos by Matt Russell. Sesame chicken photo by Chelsea Kyle, with prop styling by Alex Brannian and food styling by Rhoda Boone; sesame chicken recipe by Rhoda Boone, originally published on Epicurious. Chicken cutlets photo by Dan Pelosi.)
