Lemon Chicken Piccata

Place chicken breasts flat on a stable surface, covered with two sheets of thick plastic sheeting. Use the flat side of a heavy meat hammer to gently flatten chicken breasts until they reach an even 1/2-inch thickness.

Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts with a pinch of cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper; lightly dust them with flour and shake off any loose particles.

Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Gently place the chicken breasts in the pan, reduce the heat to a lower setting and cook until the chicken is browned on both sides and cooked through, approximately 5 minutes per side; transfer to a serving plate.

Quickly cook the capers in the remaining oil, smashing them gently with your fingers to release their salty brine, until warmed through, roughly 30 seconds. Pour white wine into the skillet and bring it to a boil while scraping the browned food residue off the bottom of the pan with a sturdy wooden spoon. Cook until the wine has reduced by half, about 2 minutes.

Stir in a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, water, and melted butter into the reduced wine mixture; cook and stir continuously to form a rich sauce, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to a low setting and stir in some chopped parsley through the sauce.

Return the chicken breasts to the pan and cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with a generous helping of the sauce spooned over the top.