Chicken Piccata

This easy Chicken Piccata features tender, golden chicken cutlets in a buttery lemon sauce with capers. Made in one skillet and ready in about 30 minutes, it’s a delicious dinner packed with fresh, bright flavor.

Chicken Piccata is a classic Italian-American dish that’s surprisingly easy to make at home. Thin chicken cutlets are lightly coated in flour, pan-seared until golden, and finished in a bright, buttery lemon sauce with capers. The sauce comes together right in the skillet, picking up all those delicious browned bits from the chicken. It’s fresh, savory, and full of flavor, with just the right balance of lemon and butter. Best of all, the whole dish is ready in about 30 minutes.

Ingredients for Chicken Piccata

The beauty of Chicken Piccata is how a handful of simple ingredients come together to make such a flavorful dish. Fresh lemons, butter, garlic, and capers create the signature sauce, while lightly floured chicken cutlets cook up tender and golden.

• Chicken breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are sliced horizontally and pounded to an even thickness so they cook quickly and evenly.
• Fresh lemons: Both the juice and thin lemon slices give the sauce its bright, fresh flavor. Freshly squeezed lemon juice makes a noticeable difference here.
• Capers: These little briny buds add a salty, slightly tangy flavor that balances the richness of the butter. I prefer small nonpareil capers for this recipe.
• Butter: Cold butter is whisked into the finished sauce for a silky texture and rich flavor.
• Garlic: Just one clove adds a subtle savory note without overpowering the lemon.
• Chicken broth: Forms the base of the sauce and picks up the delicious browned bits from the skillet.
• Flour: A light coating helps the chicken develop a golden crust. It’s used to coat the chicken, not to thicken the sauce.
• Olive oil or avocado oil: For pan-searing the chicken.
• Fresh parsley: Adds a pop of color and freshness just before serving.

How to Make Chicken Piccata

Chicken Piccata comes together quickly once the ingredients are prepared. The chicken is lightly coated in flour and browned in a skillet, then the lemon caper sauce is made in the same pan. Here’s how to make it, step by step.

1. Prepare the lemons and chicken. Thinly slice half a lemon and squeeze the remaining lemons to get about ¼ cup of juice. Slice the chicken breasts horizontally into cutlets and pound to an even ¼-inch thickness.

2. Season and flour the chicken. Season both sides of the cutlets with salt and pepper, then lightly dredge in flour, shaking off any excess.

3. Pan-sear the chicken. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken in batches until golden on both sides and cooked through. Transfer to an oven-safe platter and keep warm while preparing the sauce.

4. Make the lemon caper sauce. Add the garlic to the same skillet and cook briefly until fragrant. Pour in the chicken broth, add the lemon slices, and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer until reduced, then add the capers and lemon juice.

5. Finish with butter and parsley. Remove the skillet from the heat and whisk in the chilled butter, one piece at a time, until the sauce is smooth and glossy. Stir in the fresh parsley.

6. Spoon the sauce over the chicken. Arrange the warm chicken cutlets on a serving platter and spoon the lemon butter caper sauce over the top. Serve immediately.

Tips for the Best Chicken Piccata

A few simple techniques make all the difference between good Chicken Piccata and really delicious Chicken Piccata.

• Pound the chicken evenly. Aim for about ¼-inch thickness so the cutlets cook at the same rate and stay tender.
• Don’t overcrowd the skillet. Cook the chicken in batches so it browns rather than steams.
• Use fresh lemon juice. Bottled juice won’t give the sauce quite the same bright, fresh flavor.
• Slice the lemon thinly. The slices soften as they simmer in the sauce, making them tender enough to enjoy with the chicken.
• Let the sauce reduce. Reducing the broth concentrates its flavor and helps create the right consistency without adding flour.
• Add cold butter off the heat. Whisking in chilled butter at the end creates a smooth, silky sauce. Avoid boiling the sauce afterward, which can cause it to separate.

What to Serve with Chicken Piccata

Chicken Piccata pairs beautifully with simple sides that complement its bright lemon butter sauce. Pasta is a classic choice, especially angel hair or linguine, but rice and vegetables are equally delicious. If you’re serving it over pasta or rice, consider doubling the sauce so there’s plenty to spoon over everything.

Try serving it with:

• Angel hair pasta or linguine: Perfect for catching every bit of the lemon caper sauce.
• Rice: White rice or a simple rice pilaf makes a wonderful base for the chicken and sauce.
• Roasted asparagus: A natural pairing with the lemony flavors.
• Green beans: Steamed or roasted green beans keep the meal fresh and light.
• Mashed potatoes: A comforting option that’s especially good with extra sauce.

Storing and Reheating Chicken Piccata

Chicken Piccata is best served fresh, while the chicken is tender and the lemon butter sauce is silky. However, leftovers are delicious, too.

Store leftover chicken and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Reheat gently in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of chicken broth if needed. Avoid boiling the sauce, which can cause the butter to separate, and heat the chicken just until warmed through.

Leftover chicken is also delicious sliced over a green salad or added to a Caesar salad for lunch the next day.

Frequently Asked Questions About Chicken Piccata

Here are answers to a few common questions about making Chicken Piccata at home.

Can I use chicken cutlets instead of chicken breasts?

Absolutely! Thinly sliced chicken cutlets are a great shortcut. Just make sure they’re an even thickness, about ¼ inch, so they cook quickly and evenly.

What can I substitute for capers in Chicken Piccata?

Capers give Chicken Piccata its signature briny flavor, but if you don’t have them, finely chopped green olives are a good substitute. The flavor will be slightly different, but still delicious.

Why is my Chicken Piccata sauce too thin?

Chicken Piccata sauce is naturally lighter than a cream-based sauce. If yours seems too thin, make sure the chicken broth has reduced sufficiently before whisking in the butter. The butter gives the sauce a silky consistency without making it heavy.

More Delicious Chicken Dinner Recipes

If you love this Chicken Piccata, here are three more flavorful chicken dinners worth trying:

• Chicken Scallopini: Tender chicken cutlets in a delicious pan sauce make this another classic skillet dinner.
• Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken: Juicy chicken in a rich, creamy tomato basil sauce that’s perfect served over pasta.
• One Pot Creamy Chicken Orzo: Tender chicken and creamy orzo come together in one pot for an easy, satisfying dinner.

A Simple Chicken Dinner Worth Making Again

Chicken Piccata is one of those recipes that proves you don’t need a long list of ingredients or hours in the kitchen to make something truly delicious. The golden chicken, fresh lemon, buttery sauce, and salty capers come together in such a wonderful way. Whether you serve it over pasta or alongside your favorite vegetables, I hope this easy Chicken Piccata becomes a favorite in your kitchen, too!

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4.89 from 9 votes

Chicken Piccata

Tender, golden chicken cutlets are served with a bright, buttery lemon caper sauce in this easy Chicken Piccata recipe. Made in one skillet with simple ingredients, this flavorful chicken dinner is ready in about 30 minutes.

Course Main Dish

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 536

Author Sally Humeniuk

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients 

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• 2 lemons
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6-8 ounces each) tenderloins removed and trimmed
• ½ cup all-purpose flour for dredging
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 4 Tbsps olive oil divided
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 Tbsps capers drained and rinsed
• 3 Tbsps butter cut into 3 pieces and chilled
• 2 Tbsps minced fresh parsley

Instructions

• Prepare the lemons. Cut 1 lemon in half lengthwise. Trim the ends from one half and slice crosswise into thin slices, about ⅛–¼ inch thick. Set aside. Squeeze the juice from the remaining lemon and lemon half into a small bowl. You should have about ¼ cup lemon juice.
  2 lemons
• Prepare the chicken. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 200°F. Slice each chicken breast horizontally into 2 thin cutlets. Cover with plastic wrap and pound to an even ¼-inch thickness using a meat mallet. Place the flour in a shallow dish.
  4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6-8 ounces each)
• Season and dredge. Season both sides of the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper. Working with one cutlet at a time, lightly dredge in flour, shaking off any excess. Transfer to a large platter.
  ½ cup all-purpose flour, salt and freshly ground pepper
• Cook the chicken. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add 3–4 cutlets, without overcrowding, and cook until golden brown on the first side, about 3 minutes. Flip the cutlets, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until golden on the second side and the chicken reaches 165°F, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer to an oven-safe platter. Repeat with the remaining chicken and 2 tablespoons of oil. Loosely tent with aluminum foil and place in the warm oven while preparing the sauce.
  4 Tbsps olive oil
• Make the lemon caper sauce. Add the minced garlic to the same skillet and cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth and reserved lemon slices, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Bring to a simmer and cook until the liquid is reduced to about ⅓ cup, approximately 4 minutes. Stir in the capers and reserved lemon juice. Return to a simmer and cook until the liquid is reduced to about ⅓ cup again, approximately 1 minute.
  1 garlic clove, 1 cup chicken broth, 2 Tbsps capers
• Finish with butter and serve. Remove the skillet from the heat. Whisk in the chilled butter, one piece at a time, until melted and the sauce is smooth and silky. Stir in the fresh parsley. Spoon the lemon butter caper sauce over the warm chicken cutlets and serve immediately.
  3 Tbsps butter, 2 Tbsps minced fresh parsley

Notes

• Evenly sized cutlets: Pounding the chicken to a uniform thickness helps it cook quickly and evenly.
• Don't overcrowd the skillet: Cook in batches to achieve a golden crust rather than steaming the chicken.
• Fresh lemon juice: Freshly squeezed juice gives the sauce its signature bright flavor.
• Cold butter: Add the butter off the heat, one piece at a time, to create a smooth sauce. Avoid boiling after adding the butter, which can cause the sauce to separate.
• Serving suggestion: Serve with angel hair pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes to enjoy every bit of the lemon butter sauce.
• Extra Sauce: If serving Chicken Piccata over pasta or rice, consider doubling the sauce ingredients, including the lemon juice (you'll need additional lemons), garlic, chicken broth, capers, butter, and parsley. Allow extra time for the sauce to reduce so there's plenty to spoon over everything.

Nutrition Facts

Chicken Piccata

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 536 Calories from Fat 261

% Daily Value*

Fat 29g45%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Trans Fat 0.4g

Polyunsaturated Fat 3g

Monounsaturated Fat 14g

Cholesterol 168mg56%

Sodium 661mg29%

Potassium 956mg27%

Carbohydrates 18g6%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 51g102%

Vitamin A 517IU10%

Vitamin C 34mg41%

Calcium 38mg4%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Recipe only slightly adapted from America’s Test Kitchen recipe.