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Easy Chicken Piccata
This easy chicken piccata is a fast one-pan recipe made with juicy chicken breasts in a rich lemon butter caper sauce. It’s a simple weeknight dinner that tastes restaurant-quality.
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This easy chicken piccata recipe is a flavorful one-pan meal featuring tender, thinly pounded chicken breasts simmered in a bright lemon butter caper sauce. The combination of tangy citrus, briny capers, and rich butter makes this Italian-American classic both comforting and elegant. Ready in about 25 minutes, it’s perfect for busy weeknights yet impressive enough to serve for a dinner party. With just a handful of pantry-friendly ingredients, this dish proves you don’t need much to create something special For more chicken breast recipes try this crispy chicken Milanese or this versatile everything bagel chicken cutlet recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fast and easy: Cooks in just 25 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
- Tender and flavorful: Pounded chicken breasts cook quickly and stay juicy, coated in a bright lemon-butter sauce with capers.
- Elegant presentation: Feels restaurant-worthy but requires minimal effort.
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Chicken – Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts to make chicken cutlets. The chicken is butterflied to thin it out. It’s then pounded out using a mallet so the chicken cooks quickly when it’s shallow fried in oil in the pan.
- Flour – Rather than a breadcrumb coating, dredge the chicken in a bit of seasoned flour to add a golden brown exterior. The flour also helps to thicken the butter sauce.
- Olive oil – I quickly cook the pounded pieces of chicken breast in olive oil until cooked through. Because it doesn’t have a high smoke point, the chicken is cooked at a medium heat. You want the oil hot, but not smoking, before adding the chicken to the pan.
- White wine – Adding the wine will remove any flavorful brown bits from the bottom of the pan. It’s reduced by half so the flavor remains.
- Capers – Capers have a tangy, salty flavor. The edible part of the caper plant is the immature flower buds, which are typically served pickled. In this case I recommend using nonpareils, the smallest capers, packed in oil or water for the best flavor.
- Lemon – The lemon adds just the right amount of acid to brighten the rich butter and caper pan sauce.
- Butter – Rather than frying the chicken in the butter like some recipes, I prefer to fry the chicken in the oil then finish the sauce with the butter, swirling in one piece at a time to emulsify the sauce.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Pro Tip
Pound the chicken evenly to about ½ inch thick to ensure quick, even cooking. Don’t skip emulsifying the butter into the sauce—it gives the pan sauce a silky, luxurious texture.
Swaps and Substitutions
- Chicken: Veal cutlets or thin chicken cutlets can replace chicken breasts.
- White wine: Chicken stock or vegetable stock can be used instead of wine.
- Butter: Use ghee or a plant-based butter substitute for dairy-free versions.
- Capers: Chopped green olives can be a milder substitute.
- Shallots: Use yellow or white onion if shallots are unavailable.
How to Make Chicken Piccata (Step-by-Step)
Cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise and place each piece of chicken into a large plastic zip-top bag or between two pieces of parchment paper. Use a mallet to gently pound them so they are even and about ½” (12.7mm) thick. Be careful that the meat does not break.
Add the flour to a shallow bowl. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and heat through. Working in batches, add the chicken to the pan and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until cooked through, about an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate and repeat with remaining chicken.
Return pan to medium heat, add the shallots and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about an additional 30 seconds.
Add the wine and reduce by about half, about 5 minutes. Add the capers and lemon juice, then add the butter, 1 tablespoon (14g) at a time, swirling the pan to help emulsify the sauce, continuing to add the butter. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon. Stir in half the parsley.
Return the chicken to the pan, turning each piece to coat it in the sauce. Garnish with the remaining parsley and serve immediately.
How to Serve Chicken Piccata
- Serve over buttered pasta, creamy polenta, or mashed potatoes to soak up the sauce.
- Add a side of sautéed spinach or an endive salad for a complete meal.
- Garnish with extra parsley and lemon wedges for a bright, fresh finish.
What to Serve with Chicken Piccata
- Buttered pasta
- Polenta
- Mashed potatoes
- Garlic bread
- Sautéed spinach
- Endive salad
How to Store Chicken Piccata
- Store cooked chicken and sauce separately in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of chicken stock if needed to loosen the sauce.
- Do not freeze the butter sauce separately, as it may separate upon thawing.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
Yes! Cook the chicken and make the sauce separately, then reheat gently just before serving.
Can I use bone-in chicken breasts?
Bone-in breasts are possible, but they will take longer to cook and may not stay as tender.
Can I use lemon juice from a bottle?
Fresh lemon juice is best for bright flavor, but bottled lemon juice can be used in a pinch.
Can I make this dish dairy-free?
Yes! Substitute butter with a plant-based alternative or ghee for a similar rich flavor.
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Easy Chicken Piccata
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Ingredients:
- 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- Kosher salt, as needed
- Freshly ground black pepper, as needed
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium shallot, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon drained capers
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
Instructions:
- Cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise and place each piece of chicken into a large plastic zip-top bag or between two pieces of parchment paper. Use a mallet to gently pound them so they are even and about ½” (12.7mm) thick. Be careful that the meat does not break.
- Add the flour to a shallow bowl. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and heat through. Working in batches, add the chicken to the pan and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until cooked through, about an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate and repeat with remaining chicken.
- Return pan to medium heat, add the shallots and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about an additional 30 seconds.
- Add the wine and reduce by about half, about 5 minutes. Add the capers and lemon juice, then add the butter, 1 tablespoon (14g) at a time, swirling the pan to help emulsify the sauce, continuing to add the butter. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon. Stir in half the parsley.
- Return the chicken to the pan, turning each piece to coat it in the sauce. Garnish with the remaining parsley and serve immediately.
Notes:
Pound the chicken evenly to about ½ inch thick to ensure quick, even cooking. Don’t skip emulsifying the butter into the sauce—it gives the pan sauce a silky, luxurious texture.
Nutrition:
Calories: 506kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 129mg | Potassium: 331mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 630IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 2mg
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