Chicken Piccata Recipe
Tender golden chicken cutlets served with a bright lemon-butter sauce, briny capers, and fresh parsley. This easy Chicken Piccata is a flavorful restaurant-style dinner that's ready in about 30 minutes.
Servings 4
Calories 430kcal
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Chef's Knife
- Cutting board
- Meat mallet
- Shallow Dish
- Kitchen Tongs
- Wooden spoon
- Instant-Read Meat Thermometer
- Citrus Juicer
- Measuring Cups & Spoons
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts ½ cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
For the Lemon Caper Sauce:
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice ¼ cup capers, drained 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped Lemon slices, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Pat the chicken breasts dry. Slice thick breasts horizontally or pound them to an even thickness. Season both sides with salt and black pepper.
- Dredge in flour: Place the flour in a shallow dish. Lightly coat each chicken cutlet, then shake off the excess flour.
- Sear the chicken: Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for about 3–4 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
- Deglaze the skillet: Reduce the heat to medium. Pour in the chicken broth and scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon.
- Add lemon and capers: Stir in the fresh lemon juice and drained capers. Simmer for about 3–4 minutes, allowing the sauce to reduce slightly.
- Finish the sauce: Reduce the heat to low. Add 3 tablespoons butter and gently swirl until melted and the sauce becomes smooth and glossy.
- Return the chicken: Place the chicken back into the skillet and spoon the lemon caper sauce over the top. Warm for another 1–2 minutes.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle with fresh parsley and garnish with lemon slices. Serve immediately with pasta, rice, mashed potatoes, or roasted vegetables.
Notes
- Use thin, evenly sized chicken cutlets for the most consistent cooking.
- Fresh lemon juice gives the sauce a much brighter flavor than bottled juice.
- Taste the sauce before adding extra salt because capers can already be salty.
- Don't boil the sauce aggressively after adding the butter.
- Chicken should reach 165°F (74°C) internally.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.
- Freeze cooked chicken and sauce for up to 3 months.
- Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of chicken broth if the sauce becomes too thick.