This lemon chicken piccata is a classic Italian dish that is easy to make at home using a few simple ingredients. Tender chicken cutlets are made in one pan with a delicious lemon sauce with a touch of tangy capers in just 30 minutes!
Chicken Piccata is an Italian-American dish that is a great weeknight meal or Sunday dinner that the entire family will love.
Piccata means meat (usually veal or chicken) dredged in flour, then browned and served in a lemon butter sauce with capers. The sauce adds so much flavor to the dish, while also keeping the chicken tender and juicy.
Serve this chicken piccata with the lemony sauce over a bed of pasta or on it's own with grilled broccoli, Italian celery salad or baked lemon asparagus.
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🍋 Ingredient Notes
- Chicken - Thinly sliced chicken breasts work great for this recipe so that it cooks quickly and evenly. You can buy larger boneless skinless chicken breasts that you slice thinly on your own, or buy pre-sliced thin pieces of chicken.
- Stock - I like using chicken stock for the extra bit of flavor that pairs well with the fresh lemon juice and capers. Chicken broth will also work as a substitute.
- Lemon - Freshly squeezed lemon juice, not bottled, is best for this lemon chicken piccata recipe. You will need ½ cup fresh lemon juice, which is approximately 3 lemons.
- Capers - This salty, briny addition to the lemon sauce is a classic for a piccata recipe. Capers are actually unripened flower buds from a caper bush and are common in mediterranean cooking.
- Parsley - Chopped fresh parsley is a traditional addition to add freshness to this dish. It can be omitted if you like.
📋 Substitutions and variations
- Dairy Free - Use a dairy free or plant based butter substitute.
- Gluten Free - Use a cup for cup gluten free flour.
- Wine - Some recipes for piccata include white wine. Add in ¼ cup of white wine with the lemon juice, stock and capers for even more flavor. Sauvignon blanc, chardonnay or pinot grigio all would work well.
- Extra Flavor - Mince up 2-3 cloves of garlic or 1 small shallot and add them to the pan after you remove the chicken. Saute for a couple of minutes and then add the stock, juice and capers and continue as directed.
- Creamy - Add ½ cup of heavy cream or half and half to the sauce at the end for a creamy lemon sauce for your piccata.
🔪 Step by step instructions
First, place the chicken in a zip top bag or between two pieces of plastic wrap. Pound them to ¼ - ½ inch thickness, using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Add the flour to a shallow dish or bowl and mix with kosher salt and black pepper.
Dredge chicken pieces in the flour mixture until evenly coated and then set aside. Heat 2 Tablespoons butter and 2 Tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Once the butter melts, sear the chicken for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
Deglaze the pan by adding the chicken stock, lemon juice and capers with the brine. Make sure to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the lemon-caper sauce simmer for 2 minutes and then add the chicken back to the skillet. Cut the remaining 4 Tablespoons of butter into smaller pieces and lay them on top of the chicken.
Let the chicken simmer in the piccata sauce until it is cooked through and the butter has melted. Serve topped with chopped fresh parsley or fresh lemon slices, if desired.
If you ever don't recognize a tool or skill that I mention, be sure to look it up in the Glossary of Cooking Terms and Definitions for more information.
⭐ Expert tips
- Make sure to pound the chicken breasts out very thin so they cook quickly.
- When you are dredging the chicken, shake excess flour off of each piece of chicken so you have a light coating.
- Depending on the size of the pan, you will need to work in batches when searing the chicken. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan or you won't get the nice browning on each piece.
- Don't forget to scrape the bottom of the pan to get off any stuck on bits. They add a ton of flavor to the sauce!
- Always cook chicken to a minimum of 165˚ when checked with a reliable kitchen thermometer.
🥡 Storage suggestions
Leftovers of this easy chicken piccata recipe will keep for 3-5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat on the stovetop in a skillet over medium low heat or in the microwave.
🍋 More lemon recipes
If you loved this easy lemon chicken piccata recipe, check out these other lemon recipes that I know you will love too.
📖 Recipe
Lemon Chicken Piccata Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast thinly sliced
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 cup chicken stock
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice approximately 3 lemons
- 4 Tablespoons capers in brine
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- First, place the chicken in a zip top bag or between plastic wrap and pound to ¼ - ½ inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
- Next, in a shallow dish or bowl, add the flour, salt and pepper and stir to combine.
- Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour mixture, making sure to shake off any excess. Set aside on a plate.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and 2 Tablespoons of the butter.
- Once the butter melts, working in batches, sear the chicken for 1-2 minutes on each side, until they are golden brown. Remove and set aside on a plate.
- To the skillet, add the chicken stock, lemon juice and capers and scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any stuck on brown bits. Let the sauce simmer for 2 minutes to reduce.
- Add the chicken back to the skillet, nestling it in the sauce. Cut the remaining 4 Tablespoons of butter into smaller pieces and lay them over the chicken.
- Let the chicken simmer in the sauce for a few minutes until the chicken in completely cooked through. Sprinkle with the chopped fresh parsley and serve.
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Notes
-
- Work in batches when searing the chicken, being careful not to overcrowd the pan.
-
- Don't forget to scrape the bottom of the pan to get off any stuck on bits. They add a ton of flavor to the sauce!
-
- Always cook chicken to a minimum of 165˚ when checked with a reliable kitchen thermometer.
Substitutions and Variations
-
- Chicken - Buy larger boneless skinless chicken breasts and slice thinly or buy pre-sliced thin pieces of chicken.
- Stock - Chicken broth will also work as a substitute.
- Parsley - This adds freshness to this dish, but can be omitted.
- Dairy Free - Use a dairy free or plant based butter substitute.
- Gluten Free - Use a cup for cup gluten free flour in place of the all purpose flour.
- Wine - Add in ¼ cup of white wine with the lemon juice for even more flavor. Sauvignon blanc, chardonnay or pinot grigio all would work well.
- Extra Flavor - Mince up 2-3 cloves of garlic or 1 small shallot and add them to the pan after you remove the chicken. Saute for a couple of minutes and then add the stock, juice and capers and continue as directed.
- Creamy - Add ½ cup of heavy cream or half and half to the sauce at the end for a creamy lemon sauce for your piccata.
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