Weeknight Fabulous: 30-Minute Chicken Piccata

Lemon Chicken Piccata

Lemon Chicken Piccata, you are a delicious work of beautiful simplicity. Chicken cutlets are lightly floured, then pan-cooked in a lemon butter caper sauce for a quick and easy dinner that pleases profoundly.

Why You’ll Love This Chicken Piccata Recipe

• Italian—But Not Pasta or Pizza. No matter how many times a week you eat it, Italian food pretty much always sounds good, but branch out beyond the same old and whoa! Lemon chicken piccata is browned on the stovetop and finished with a luxurious sauce made of lemon, butter, capers, white wine, and pan drippings. It’s rich, creamy, and all-around fabulous.
• Surprisingly Quick and Easy. When you’re looking for something fast (aren’t we all?), chicken piccata is it. Like Pan-Fried Chicken Breast, it’s quick-cooking and gives moist, juicy results. Start to finish, this easy chicken piccata recipe cooks in about 25 minutes, fewer if you are speedy.
• Feels Kinda Fancy. As is the way with many Italian recipes (like Chicken Marsala, Chicken Saltimbocca, Chicken Fricassée, and Tuscan Chicken), chicken piccata will also make your dinner feel a little extra special, something we all could use more often, even if we don’t realize it until we are taking a bite.
• Big Flavor. Chicken piccata tastes bright with lemon, lightly buttery (like this Lemon Butter Chicken), and the capers give it saltiness and a subtle tang. Like Chicken Francaise, the lemon butter sauce is so yummy, you’ll want to mop up every last speck.

How to Make Lemon Chicken Piccata

The Ingredients

• Chicken Breast. Lean, tender pan-fry chicken breasts stay perfectly juicy in this chicken piccata recipe. If you prefer, you can make it with chicken thighs.
• Flour. Gives the chicken a light crust on its exterior, thickens the sauce, and helps lock in moisture.
• Butter. A chicken piccata necessity. Cooking the chicken in butter and adding it to the sauce makes this simple recipe irresistible. To make this a healthy chicken piccata recipe, I found I could use just a few tablespoons of butter (which is less than many traditional chicken piccata recipes) and still have excellent results.
• Shallot. Once cooked, the shallots help build flavor for the sauce. You also could use a finely chopped sweet onion if you don’t keep shallots on hand or have them accessible.
• Lemon. Both the zest and fresh lemon juice add brightness and acidity to the dish. (If you love chicken recipes with lemon, you’ll love this Lemon Basil Chicken, too.)
• Broth + Dry White Wine. Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Gavi, and Pinot Grigio are great choices. If you prefer to make chicken piccata without wine, you can swap it for additional chicken broth.
• Capers. The final ingredient that makes the piccata sauce pop. They’re delightfully salty and briny!
• Parsley. Fresh parsley is the perfect finishing touch.

The Directions

1. Prepare. Split the chicken breasts in half horizontally into an even thickness (see this video for a tip). Season chicken with salt and pepper.

2. Coat. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. (No eggs required.)

3. Brown. Sear the outsides of the chicken, then transfer to a plate.

4. Soften. Cook the shallot.

5. Simmer. Stir in the wine and broth. Let simmer.

6. Finish. Stir in the lemon zest and juice, capers, and butter. Let the butter melt, then add the parsley. Serve the chicken with sauce over the top. ENJOY!

Recipe Variations

• Extra Lemon Chicken Piccata. Bump the lemon juice up to 1/4 cup to make a lemon-caper sauce with an extra boost of bright citrus flavor.
• Garlic. Traditionally, chicken piccata sauce does not contain garlic. However, you can add up to 4 cloves of minced garlic for a garlic-lovers’ twist.
• Creamy Piccata. For a touch of indulgence, add a splash of cream and Parmesan cheese.

Storage Tips

• To Store. Refrigerate chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• To Reheat. Gently rewarm leftovers in a skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave.
• To Freeze. Freeze chicken in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

What to Serve with Lemon Chicken Piccata

• Potatoes. For a cozy, cozy dinner, serve chicken piccata with this Garlic Mashed Potatoes Recipe or make Roasted Fingerling Potatoes in the oven.
• Rice. Creamy Mushroom Risotto is always fab with Italian chicken dishes, or make a batch of this simple Lemon Rice.
• Vegetables. So many veggies will pair well with lemon chicken piccata! Try Roasted Green Beans, Smashed Brussels Sprouts, or Air Fryer Zucchini.
• Salad. Arugula Salad makes a lighter option, or serve this chicken with Roasted Vegetable Salad on the side.

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

• Large Skillet. This large, heavy-bottomed skillet would be ideal for making this recipe.
• Instant Read Thermometer. My go-to trick for ensuring meat is cooked through.
• Citrus Juicer. This tool makes it easy to thoroughly juice lemons and limes.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• Make Cutting Easier. Cutting chicken breasts into cutlets cab be tricky! To make it easier, you can place the chicken breasts in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes prior to cutting. This will firm them up enough to make slicing them in half a breeze.
• Check That the Cutlets Are Even in Thickness. If they’re not, I recommend pounding them. This ensures that they’re evenly cooked and that the cutlets finish cooking at the same time.
• Don’t Crowd the Pan. Don’t let the cutlets touch each other in the pan; if you cram them in, they won’t get that nice pan-sear on the outside, which means they won’t be as flavorful. Cook in batches if you have to!

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Lemon Chicken Piccata

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Lemon chicken piccata is an easy 30-minute dinner that pairs tender cutlets with a flavorful pan sauce. Like a fancy Italian restaurant meal!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 230kcal

Author Erin Clarke / Well Plated

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
• 1 shallot peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 cup dry white wine or additional chicken stock
• 1 lemon zest and juice
• 1/4 cup brined capers rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley plus additional for serving

Instructions

• Split each chicken breast in half horizontally to create two thinner pieces of chicken. I like to do this by carefully placing my hand on top to give myself a feel for whether or not I am slicing the chicken evenly. To make the chicken easier to slice, you can place it in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes prior to cutting. Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
  
• Place the flour in a shallow bowl. Lightly dredge each piece of chicken on both sides with the flour.
  
• In a large, sturdy skillet, heat olive oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter. Once the butter has melted, carefully lower a single layer of chicken pieces into the skillet (angle the chicken away from you as you set it down), ensuring they do not touch each other in the pan. Cook on both sides until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.
  
• Transfer the chicken to a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken. If at any point the pan seems dry, drizzle in a little more oil.
• Reduce the pan heat to medium-low. Add the shallot to the now-empty pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallot is lightly caramelized, about 2 to 3 minutes.
  
• Add the wine and broth and return the heat to medium. Let simmer, stirring often, until it is reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
  
• Reduce the heat to low. Add the lemon zest (I zest it right over the pan), lemon juice, capers, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Stir to combine, then season with more salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the parsley. Serve the chicken with the sauce spooned generously all over the top. Garnish with additional parsley as desired.
  

Video

Notes

• TO STORE: Refrigerate chicken in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days.
• TO REHEAT: Gently rewarm leftovers in a skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave.
• TO FREEZE: Freeze chicken in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Nutrition

Serving: 1(of 6) | Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Potassium: 356mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 482IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg

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