This recipe is based on Alton Brown’s chicken piccata recipe from his chicken thigh YouTube video. I’m writing the ingredients and steps here (simplified) so I don’t have to watch the video for the 9th time!

INGREDIENTS

• 6-7 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 cup flour
• 1-2 t freshly ground black pepper
• salt, as needed to season
• 8 oz cremini mushrooms
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp butter, cubed and dredged in flour
• 5 oz chicken stock
• 4 oz white wine
• 2 lemons – one for juice (about 1½ oz), 1 for slicing
• 3 tbsp capers, drained
• 2 oz avocado or cooking olive oil, plus more as needed

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Season the chicken: Season the thighs on both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Pound the thighs: Add 2 tablespoons of flour to a large zip-top bag, followed by one chicken thigh. Close the bag and pound the thigh flat to approximately double its original size. Repeat with the remaining thighs, adding another tablespoon of flour between each one. Set aside on a wire rack. You can do this ahead of time and refrigerate the flattened, floured thighs until ready to cook.
3. Prepare the liquid: Combine the chicken stock, white wine and lemon juice. Set aside. This can also be prepared ahead of time.
4. Prepare the butter: Cut the butter into small cubes and dredge lightly in flour. Refrigerate until ready to use.
5. Prepare the remaining ingredients: Thinly slice the lemon and mushrooms. Chop the parsley.
6. Brown the chicken: In a large frying pan (with a tight fitting lid), heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Working with 1–2 thighs at a time, brown the chicken on both sides. Add more oil between batches as needed. Transfer the browned thighs to a wire rack.
7. Brown the mushrooms: Add a little more oil to the pan, if needed, and cook the mushrooms for 3–5 minutes, until browned.
8. Add the capers: Add the capers and toss for approximately 30 seconds.
9. Deglaze the pan: Pour in about one-third of the prepared liquid mixture, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
10. Return the chicken: Arrange the thighs in the pan in an overlapping shingle pattern, with each thigh partially resting on the next.
11. Add the liquid: Pour in the remaining liquid mixture and top the chicken with the lemon slices.
12. Braise: Cover and cook for 8–10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (at least 165°F)
13. Remove the chicken: Transfer the chicken and lemon slices to a serving platter. Remove the mushrooms and capers to a small bowl and set aside.
14. Reduce the sauce: Increase the heat and simmer the remaining liquid until reduced by approximately half.
15. Finish with butter: Reduce the heat to low. Add the cold, flour-coated butter, 2–3 cubes at a time, whisking continuously until incorporated and the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened.
16. Season: Taste the sauce and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
17. Return the mushrooms: Stir the mushrooms and capers back into the sauce.
18. Serve: Pour the sauce over the chicken, arrange the lemon slices on top and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Make ahead: The chicken can be flattened and floured, the sauce ingredients combined, and the butter cubed and coated in flour earlier in the day. Keep everything refrigerated until ready to cook.