025 / 75 · Good Dinner after Training

Chicken Piccata with Peas and Pearl Couscous

4 plates, each with 2 small chicken cutlets and one quarter of the pea couscous · Active 30 min · Cook 25 min · Total 45 min

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Thin chicken cutlets cook quickly and leave flavorful browned bits for a lemon-caper pan sauce. Pearl couscous and peas provide a gentle base that catches the sauce without competing with it. The recipe uses a repeatable cutlet thickness rather than relying on the size of a whole chicken breast. Have the couscous nearly ready before making the sauce, because a finished piccata is best served while the chicken and lemon flavor are still fresh.

Jump to ingredients

Chicken piccata cutlets with capers, peas and pearl couscous.

Make the cutlets even, not paper-thin

Split the breasts horizontally into eight small cutlets, then cover and flatten any thicker spots to about half an inch. An even piece browns without leaving an undercooked center. Sprinkle the measured flour evenly over both sides and pat it onto the meat to form a light coating. Keep the raw-chicken dish separate from anything ready to eat and wash it before reuse. Work in two batches so the cutlets have room to color rather than steaming against one another.

Add the lemon after the broth

Garlic needs only a brief stir in the pan after the chicken comes out. Broth then loosens the browned bits and creates the body of the sauce. Add lemon juice and drained capers after that short reduction so the lemon remains clear rather than cooking into a harsh, concentrated layer. Return the chicken only long enough to finish safely and coat it. The measured butter rounds the sauce at the end. Pearl couscous absorbs liquid as it stands, so fluff and divide it promptly, with peas distributed through each serving.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups dry pearl couscous (240 g)
  • 2 1/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (540 ml), divided: 1 3/4 cups for couscous and 1/2 cup for sauce
  • 1 cup frozen peas (140 g)
  • 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast (680 g)
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (24 g), for a thin coating
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt (3 g), divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (1 g)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml), divided between batches
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced (6 g)
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice (45 ml)
  • 2 tablespoons capers, drained (18 g)
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (14 g)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (8 g)

Set out

Large saucepan with lid, 12-inch/30 cm skillet, Clean board and sharp knife, Rolling pin or meat mallet, Shallow flour dish, Food thermometer

Allergens

Wheat, Milk; check broth label for additional allergens. Check labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Bring 1 3/4 cups/420 ml broth to a simmer in the saucepan. Add couscous and half the salt, cover and cook on low according to the package, usually 10–12 minutes. Stir in peas for the last 4–5 minutes, or the longer time required by their package. If the pan becomes dry before couscous is tender, add a little hot water. Remove from heat when tender and keep covered.
  2. Split and flatten chicken into 8 small cutlets about 1/2 inch/1.3 cm thick. Season with remaining salt and black pepper. Lay cutlets in a shallow dish, sprinkle the measured flour evenly over both sides and pat it onto the meat. Wash hands and clean raw-chicken equipment.
  3. Heat half the oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Cook 4 cutlets for about 3 minutes per side until golden, then transfer to a clean plate. Repeat with the remaining oil and cutlets.
  4. Lower heat to medium. Add garlic and stir for 20 seconds. Pour in remaining 1/2 cup/120 ml broth and scrape up browned bits; simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and capers. Return chicken and its juices; simmer gently for 1–3 minutes until every cutlet reaches 165°F/74°C.
  5. Remove from heat and swirl in butter and parsley. Fluff couscous and peas, divide among four plates, and serve two cutlets and one quarter of the sauce on each.

Get the sequence working for you

Flatten and portion the chicken before heating the skillet. Once cooking begins, the couscous pot can finish while the two chicken batches brown. Keep a clean plate beside the stove and a separate place for raw utensils. That arrangement saves more stress than trying to rush the final sauce.

A useful detail

Use the broth amount and timing on your pearl couscous package if they differ substantially; brands vary in size and absorption. Extra plain cooking water does not change the nutrition estimate.

Another way

  • Use 240 g dry small pasta shells instead of couscous, cooking in water according to the package and keeping the sauce broth separate.
  • Replace peas with 140 g trimmed fresh green beans, boiled separately in plenty of boiling water for at least 30 minutes until thoroughly soft, then drained and cut small before folding through the cooked couscous. Start the beans first and add their full preparation to your schedule; do not rely on the short final couscous simmer to cook raw beans.

Keep it well

Refrigerate chicken, sauce and couscous in shallow containers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C. Keep at 40°F/4°C or below for up to 3 days. Reheat to 165°F/74°C throughout; loosen couscous with water and cover the chicken to retain moisture. Pack chilled portions with two cold sources.