This chicken piccata sandwich features all the things you love about classic chicken piccata in sandwich form! Fluffy brioche buns with crispy chicken cutlets squeezed with fresh lemon, tangy capers, peppery arugula, and a creamy lemon aioli.
I’m insanely excited about this latest descent into madness. Chicken piccata getting a crispy makeover AND hanging out in sandwich form?? Just cancel any other meal plans for the rest of the year already.
While I love a traditional chicken piccata served with angel hair dearly, this sandwich is an extremely close second and you’re about to be as obsessed as I am.
There’s nothing super fancy going on here today but, wow, do the flavors and textures ever work! Crispy breaded chicken is our meat base here and from there it’s just a simple lemon aioli, fresh lemon, capers, and a handful of arugula all hanging out in a brioche bun.
Just to put it in perspective, I’ve rarely ever finished a sandwich and then immediately wanted another. That’s the chicken piccata sandwich effect for ya.
This Sandwich Features…
- Crispy breaded chicken cutlets
- Fresh lemon juice squeezed on top and a tangy lemon aioli
- Jarred capers and fresh parsley
- A base of buttery brioche bun and peppery arugula greens
Making the Chicken Sandwich
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Mayonnaise
- Lemon
- Dijon mustard
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Egg
- 2% or skim milk
- All-purpose flour
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Unsalted butter
- Olive oil
- Brioche buns
- Arugula
- Capers
- Parsley
Choosing Your Chicken
I recommend using boneless skinless chicken breasts for this sandwich. This cut of chicken can be pounded thin so it cooks up quickly and perfectly crispy.
To prepare the chicken breasts for cooking, cut each breast in half width-wise, place between two sheets of wax paper, and pound until evenly thin using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
Tips for a Perfect Chicken Sandwich
- Use standard breading procedure for chicken – this means a coating of flour, beaten egg/milk, and then breadcrumbs. This standard procedure will help the breading stick to the chicken during cooking.
- Pan fry chicken – because the chicken is very thin it will only take a couple minutes to fry up perfectly crispy in a combination of butter and olive oil.
- Don’t overcrowd pan – if your chicken cutlets are too big to fit in an even layer in pan, I recommend cooking it in batches.
- Assemble sandwiches immediately once chicken is fried – you will want to enjoy these sandwiches while the chicken is hot and crispy.
- Use fresh lemon – hit the chicken cutlets with a squeeze of fresh lemon while warm for extra flavor.
- Toast buns – warm buns with a toasted exterior will hold up underneath the filling.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on this sandwich.
- Use another green – try butter lettuce, romaine, or spinach.
- Try another bun – potato buns, ciabatta, or pretzel buns work great in place of the brioche.
- Add cheese – add a slice of cheddar, gouda, or provolone cheese to sandwiches.
Air Fryer Instructions
You can easily convert this recipe to cook the chicken cutlets in the air fryer instead using the instructions below.
Spray the basket of an air fryer well with nonstick spray and preheat to 400F. Arrange chicken in a single layer, spray well with nonstick spray, and air fry at 400F 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking until chicken is crispy and registers 165F.
You’ll never have another sandwich quite like this winner! If you’re a fan of the classic dish you’re going to be all over it’s casual-yet-killer sandwich cousin.
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
More loaded sandwiches you’ll love!
Crispy Chicken Piccata Sandwich
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Ingredients
Lemon Aioli
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
Chicken Piccata Sandwich
- 2 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb)
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup 2% or skim milk
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 1-1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 brioche buns, split and toasted
- 1 cup lightly-packed arugula
- 4 lemon quarters
- 1/4 cup jarred capers, drained
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
Instructions
Lemon Aioli
- In a small bowl, whisk all aioli ingredients until smooth and season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Chicken Piccata Sandwich
- Cut each chicken breast in half width-wise so you have 4 chicken cutlets. Gently pound chicken cutlets flat to about 1/2-inch thickness between two sheets of wax paper using a meat mallet or a rolling pin.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk egg and milk together until smooth. Place flour in a separate shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. Place panko in third shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper.
- Dredge chicken cutlets in flour, shaking off excess. Dip chicken in egg, then roll in panko until fully coated. Place cutlets on a plate.
- Place 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer to pan (work in batches if needed) and sear 3-4 minutes on first side. Flip chicken, add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, and cook an additional 2-3 minutes until chicken registers 165F.
- Spread the bottom brioche buns with a smear of lemon aioli and arrange arugula on top. Top with warm chicken cutlet and squeeze a lemon quarter over each cutlet. Top cutlets with capers, parsley, another drizzle of aioli, and top brioche bun. Serve immediately and enjoy!
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