I love preparing my favorite Chicken Piccata Recipe that features thinly pounded chicken breasts, olive oil, and unsalted butter, accented with a splash of lemon juice and capers. The lemon sauce is irresistible and pairs perfectly with a light, flavorful chicken cutlet finale. This dish brings brightness to any dinner.
I love sharing how easy it is to make a delicious Chicken Piccata right at home. This version really blew my mind because the lemon sauce is completely addictive.
I start with 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded thin so they cook quickly and evenly. After seasoning with salt and pepper, I dredge the chicken in all-purpose flour and then cook them in olive oil and unsalted butter until perfectly golden.
I then deglaze the pan with chicken broth and a generous squeeze of freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 2 lemons) and toss in capers. The finished dish is a twist on a classic Chicken Breast recipe that leans towards a creamy Chicken Piccata vibe, infusing every bite with tangy, bright flavors.
Its simplicity makes it a fab choice for any weeknight dinner when you crave something zesty and comforting yet quick to make. Enjoy making it as much as I did!
Why I Like this Recipe
I like this recipe for a few secret reasons. First, I love how the chicken always comes out crispy on the outside but tender on the inside. Even if i mess up a little, it still tastes great. Second, the lemon sauce is just so addictive. Its tangy and a bit salty thanks to the capers, and that kick totally makes my mouth water every time. Third, I appreciate how simple it is to make. People might think it sounds fancy, but the steps are straightforward and i can whip it up in no time even when i’m in a hurry. Lastly, i enjoy the versatility of this dish; i can serve it with pasta or rice and it still feels like i treated myself to something special.
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts: lean protein that makes the dish super hearty and satisfying.
- All-purpose flour: provides simple carbs and helps get a light, crispy coating on the chicken.
- Olive oil: adds healthy fats and rich flavor while keeping the chicken moist.
- Lemon juice: gives a tangy sour kick that brightens up all the flavors in the dish.
- Capers: little bursts of briny, salty taste that really complements the overall dish.
- Parsley: brings a fresh, herbal note and a pop of color thats really appealing.
Ingredient Quantities
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (pounded to about 1/2 inch thickness)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour for dredging
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided use)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
- 1/4 cup capers (rinsed and drained)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
How to Make this
1. Pound the chicken breasts so they are about 1/2 inch thick, then season both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Put the flour in a shallow dish and dredge the chicken breasts in it, shaking off any extra flour.
3. Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it’s hot.
4. Add the chicken breasts to the skillet and fry them for about 3-4 minutes per side until they get a nice golden color and are cooked through. Then take them out and set them aside.
5. In the same pan, pour in the chicken broth and the lemon juice. Stir it up, scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pan.
6. Leave the sauce to simmer for about 2 minutes so it can reduce and thicken a bit.
7. Stir in the capers into the sauce and let it all come together.
8. Return the chicken to the pan and spoon some of the sauce over it, letting it simmer for another 2 minutes.
9. Turn off the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter for extra richness.
10. Sprinkle the chopped parsley over the chicken, then serve hot with a generous drizzle of that addictive lemon sauce. Enjoy!
Equipment Needed
1. Meat mallet or heavy rolling pin and a sturdy cutting board for pounding the chicken
2. A shallow dish for dredging the chicken in flour
3. Measuring cups and spoons to accurately portion the broth, lemon juice, and butter
4. A large skillet for frying the chicken and making the sauce
5. Tongs or a spatula for flipping the chicken and stirring the sauce
6. A small knife and another cutting board for chopping the parsley
7. A bowl for setting aside ingredients like capers if needed
FAQ
Easy Chicken Piccata Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- All-purpose flour: You can use cornstarch or a gluten-free flour that works well in place of the regular flour
- Chicken broth: If you dont have broth handy, try using veggie broth or water mixed with a chicken bouillon cube
- Unsalted butter: You can swap in salted butter, but reduce the extra salt in the recipe
- Lemon juice: Bottled lemon juice works too though it might not pack as much fresh flavor, or even try lime juice if you like
- Capers: Chopped green olives might do the trick if you dont have capers on hand
Pro Tips
1. Make sure you dont overcrowd the pan when frying the chicken; if the pieces are too close, they wont get that crispy golden crust you want.
2. Dry off the chicken real good before dredging in flour so it sticks just right and you dont end up with a clumpy mess.
3. When you’re deglazing the pan with broth and lemon juice, be sure to scrape up all the brown bits since they pack a ton of flavor into your sauce.
4. Turn the heat off before you stir in the rest of the butter so the sauce stays smooth and doesnt break up into oily bits.
Easy Chicken Piccata Recipe
I love preparing my favorite Chicken Piccata Recipe that features thinly pounded chicken breasts, olive oil, and unsalted butter, accented with a splash of lemon juice and capers. The lemon sauce is irresistible and pairs perfectly with a light, flavorful chicken cutlet finale. This dish brings brightness to any dinner.
4
servings
400
kcal
Equipment: 1. Meat mallet or heavy rolling pin and a sturdy cutting board for pounding the chicken
2. A shallow dish for dredging the chicken in flour
3. Measuring cups and spoons to accurately portion the broth, lemon juice, and butter
4. A large skillet for frying the chicken and making the sauce
5. Tongs or a spatula for flipping the chicken and stirring the sauce
6. A small knife and another cutting board for chopping the parsley
7. A bowl for setting aside ingredients like capers if needed
Ingredients
-
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (pounded to about 1/2 inch thickness)
-
Salt and pepper, to taste
-
1/2 cup all-purpose flour for dredging
-
4 tablespoons olive oil
-
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided use)
-
1 cup chicken broth
-
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
-
1/4 cup capers (rinsed and drained)
-
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Directions
- Pound the chicken breasts so they are about 1/2 inch thick, then season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Put the flour in a shallow dish and dredge the chicken breasts in it, shaking off any extra flour.
- Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it's hot.
- Add the chicken breasts to the skillet and fry them for about 3-4 minutes per side until they get a nice golden color and are cooked through. Then take them out and set them aside.
- In the same pan, pour in the chicken broth and the lemon juice. Stir it up, scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pan.
- Leave the sauce to simmer for about 2 minutes so it can reduce and thicken a bit.
- Stir in the capers into the sauce and let it all come together.
- Return the chicken to the pan and spoon some of the sauce over it, letting it simmer for another 2 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter for extra richness.
- Sprinkle the chopped parsley over the chicken, then serve hot with a generous drizzle of that addictive lemon sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 250g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 400kcal
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Polyunsaturated: 2g
- Monounsaturated: 10g
- Cholesterol: 100mg
- Sodium: 600mg
- Potassium: 400mg
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 2g
- Protein: 40g
- Vitamin A: 200IU
- Vitamin C: 15mg
- Calcium: 30mg
- Iron: 1mg
