This Chicken Piccata is an elegant yet easy dinner that brings bright, zesty flavors to your table in under 30 minutes. It features tender, golden-brown chicken cutlets swimming in a rich and creamy lemon-caper sauce.
With a perfect balance of savory butter, tangy citrus, and smooth cream, this dish is luxurious enough for guests but simple enough for a weeknight meal.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: This dish is savory and tangy, with a punch of acidity from the lemon and salty brine from the capers, smoothed out by the rich butter and heavy cream.
- Texture: The chicken is lightly dredged for a delicate crust, while the sauce is velvety and luscious.
- Time: 10 minutes prep, 15 minutes cook time.
- Difficulty: Easy. It involves basic pan-frying and making a simple pan sauce.
What You’ll Need
To make this recipe, you will need a large skillet (stainless steel or non-stick) to sear the chicken and create the sauce. You will also need a shallow bowl or plate for the flour dredging station. The ingredients combine fresh poultry with pantry staples like flour and broth, plus bright fresh lemon and brined capers.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken Breasts – You need 2 large breasts. Slicing them lengthwise (butterflying and cutting) creates 4 thinner cutlets that cook quickly and evenly without drying out.
- Flour – All-purpose flour is used for dredging. This protects the meat during searing and creates a surface for the sauce to cling to.
- Lemon – You will use both the juice and the zest of 1 lemon. Fresh lemon is essential for that signature Piccata brightness.
- Capers – These small, green flower buds add a distinct savory, salty, and vinegary pop to the sauce. Make sure to drain them well.
- Heavy/Whipping Cream – This recipe uses a splash of cream to create a luscious, velvety finish that coats the chicken beautifully.
- Liquid – The recipe calls for chicken broth or dry white wine to deglaze the pan. Using chicken broth keeps the flavor savory and rich.
- Butter – Divided for cooking the chicken and mounting the sauce, butter adds essential richness and flavor.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Cream-Free Version – If you prefer a traditional clear sauce without dairy cream, the instructions note to omit the cream and increase the chicken broth to 3/4 cup.
- Garlic – While garlic powder is used on the chicken, you could add minced fresh garlic to the sauce step for extra aroma.
- Herbs – Fresh parsley is the classic garnish, but fresh thyme also pairs wonderfully with lemon.
How to Make Chicken Piccata
- Prep the Chicken: Slice the chicken breasts lengthwise (butterfly them, then cut in half) to make 4 thinner cutlets. Trim off any excess fat. Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with the 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder. Coat each piece of chicken thoroughly in flour, shaking off any excess.
- Sear: Add 2 tablespoons of the butter plus the olive oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, cook the chicken pieces for about 4-5 minutes per side until they are golden brown. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate.
- Start the Sauce: Take the pan off the heat. Add the chicken broth (or white wine), lemon juice, lemon zest, the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, and the drained capers to the skillet. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add Cream: Stir in the heavy cream and return the pan to the heat. Once the sauce is bubbling again, add the cooked chicken back into the pan. (Note: If you want to make this recipe without cream, skip the cream and increase the chicken broth to 3/4 cup).
- Simmer: Cook for another 5 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked through and the sauce has reduced to your liking. If it is bubbling furiously, you may need to turn down the heat a bit. If the sauce thickens too much, simply add a splash more broth.
- Serve: Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and/or grated parmesan cheese if desired.
Pro Tip: Removing the pan from the heat before adding the lemon juice and liquid helps prevent the butter from splattering everywhere and gives you better control when deglazing the flavorful browned bits (fond) from the chicken.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t Overcrowd: Depending on the size of your skillet, you may need to cook the chicken in batches to ensure it gets a nice golden sear rather than steaming.
- Sauce Consistency: The sauce will thicken as it reduces and interacts with the flour left on the chicken. Keep an eye on it; if it gets too thick, a little extra broth fixes it instantly.
- Seasoning: Capers are naturally salty. Taste your sauce before adding extra salt at the end.
FAQs
- Can I use chicken thighs? Yes, boneless skinless chicken thighs work well, but you may need to pound them slightly to an even thickness and adjust the cooking time.
- How do I store leftovers? Store the chicken and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove.
- What if I don’t have capers? While capers are a key part of the flavor profile, you can omit them if necessary, or substitute chopped green olives for a similar briny taste.
Serving Suggestions
- Pasta: This creamy sauce is perfect served over a bed of angel hair pasta or spaghetti.
- Potatoes: Serve alongside mashed potatoes or roasted baby potatoes to soak up the sauce.
- Vegetables: Steamed asparagus, green beans, or roasted broccoli make excellent sides.
Make This Recipe in Advance
- Prep: You can slice and pound the chicken ahead of time, keeping it covered in the fridge.
- Best Fresh: This dish relies on the creamy emulsion of the sauce and the texture of the pan-fried chicken, so it is best served immediately after cooking.
Chicken Piccata
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
Description
This Chicken Piccata is an elegant yet easy dinner that brings bright, zesty flavors to your table in under 30 minutes. It features tender, golden-brown chicken cutlets swimming in a rich and creamy lemon-caper sauce. With a perfect balance of savory butter, tangy citrus, and smooth cream, this dish is luxurious enough for guests but simple enough for a weeknight meal.
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- All-purpose flour (for dredging)
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup chicken broth (or dry white wine)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon brined capers, drained
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- Fresh chopped parsley (optional garnish)
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional garnish)
Instructions
Prep the Chicken
Slice the chicken breasts lengthwise (butterfly them and cut completely through) to create 4 thin cutlets. Trim any excess fat. Season generously with salt, pepper, and the garlic powder. Dredge each cutlet in the flour, ensuring it is fully coated, and shake off any excess.
Sear
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter with the 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, add the chicken. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken to a plate.
Start the Sauce
Remove the pan from the heat (this prevents splattering). Add the chicken broth (or white wine), lemon juice, lemon zest, the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, and the drained capers. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan this is where the flavor is!
Add Cream
Stir in the heavy cream and return the pan to the stove over medium heat.
Simmer and Finish
Once the sauce is bubbling, return the cooked chicken to the pan. Simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced slightly and the chicken is heated through.
Serve
Taste the sauce and adjust salt if needed (remember capers are salty). Garnish with chopped parsley and grated Parmesan before serving.
Notes
Cream-Free Version: If you prefer a lighter, traditional Piccata without the dairy cream, simply omit the heavy cream and increase the chicken broth to 3/4 cup in step 3.
Sauce Consistency: The sauce thickens as it reduces and mixes with the flour from the chicken. If it becomes too thick, simply stir in a splash of extra chicken broth to loosen it up.
Deglazing Tip: Taking the pan off the heat before adding the liquids helps control the temperature and prevents the butter from burning or splattering aggressively.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Cutlet with Sauce
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 9g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
Keywords: chicken piccata, creamy lemon chicken, 30 minute meals, easy chicken dinner, caper sauce recipe, skillet chicken, italian chicken recipes
