Warm Chicken Piccata Salad

Chicken piccata is a classic for a reason: Thin pieces of skinless, boneless chicken breast sear quickly to form a golden brown crust, and lemon and capers team up to create a bright and punchy sauce. Here the traditional components become a salad thanks to the inclusion of pleasantly bitter radicchio and crispy breadcrumbs. The pan sauce turned warm vinaigrette keeps the whole thing cozy—as close to comfort food as a salad can get.

Ingredients

4 servings

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Heat 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add ⅓ cup panko, season with kosher salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl. Wipe out skillet and reserve.

   Step 2

   Working with 1 large skinless, boneless chicken breast at a time (2 total), hold a knife parallel to cutting board and cut in half, slicing along a long side to make 4 thin cutlets (if still thick, lightly pound between sheets of plastic wrap until no more than ½” thick). Season cutlets with salt and freshly ground pepper. Place 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour in a shallow bowl. Add cutlets and turn to coat.

   Step 3

   Heat 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in reserved skillet over medium-high. Working in 2 batches, cook chicken until golden underneath, about 3 minutes. Turn over and cook on other side until cooked through, 1–2 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board.

   Step 4

   Heat 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in skillet over medium. Add 1 lemon, thinly sliced, seeds removed, 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, and 3 Tbsp. coarsely chopped drained capers; season with salt. Cook, stirring often, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add 3 Tbsp. water and cook, scraping up any browned bits stuck to bottom of pan, until combined, 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat.

   Step 5

   Place 1 head of radicchio, cut into 2″-thick wedges, and most of ¼ cup parsley leaves with tender stems in a large bowl. Drizzle generously with extra-virgin olive oil and add pan sauce; toss to coat and separate radicchio.

   Step 6

   Cut each cutlet into 3 or 4 pieces; add to salad and toss to combine. Transfer to a platter. Top with panko and remaining parsley; season with pepper.