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Chicken with Lemon Caper Quinoa Recipe

Chicken with Lemon Caper Quinoa

Juicy chicken cutlets seared to golden perfection, served with a bright, silky lemon-caper sauce over fluffy quinoa. Quick, healthy, and weeknight-friendly.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 Servings
Course: Dinner, Main Dish
Cuisine: American, Comfort
Calories: 330
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 lbs boneless chicken breasts pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
  • 5 tbsp cornstarch or flour for dredging
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp capers rinsed
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 handful parsley chopped
  • 1 cup rinsed quinoa
  • Optional: a few tablespoons Parmesan cheese for finishing

Method
 

  1. Pound chicken breasts evenly between plastic wrap to 1/4-inch thickness.
  2. Season with salt and pepper, then dredge lightly in cornstarch or flour.
  3. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles.
  4. Add olive oil and heat until shimmering.
  5. Sear chicken cutlets 3–4 minutes on the first side, then 1–2 minutes on the other until golden brown.
  6. Transfer chicken to a plate and drain excess fat.
  7. Sauté minced garlic in the skillet for ~30 seconds until fragrant.
  8. Pour in chicken broth, scraping the browned bits to deglaze the pan.
  9. Simmer sauce gently for 8 minutes.
  10. Stir in lemon juice and capers; cook an additional 5 minutes to mellow and reduce.
  11. Swirl in a knob of butter for sheen.
  12. Return chicken to the pan and spoon sauce over to absorb flavors. Rest 1 minute.
  13. Meanwhile, cook quinoa: add rinsed quinoa to enough broth to cover; bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook 20–30 minutes until tails appear and grains are fluffy.
  14. Optional: stir Parmesan and fresh parsley into quinoa off heat.
  15. Plate chicken over quinoa, drizzle with sauce, and garnish with additional parsley or lemon zest if desired.

Notes

Pound chicken evenly for fast, uniform cooking and juicy results. Rinse capers to control salt. Fold Parmesan and parsley into quinoa off heat. Reheat leftovers with a splash of broth to revive sauce and grains.