Description
Chicken Piccata is a classic Italian-American dish featuring tender thinly sliced chicken breasts cooked in a bright, tangy lemon sauce with capers and a buttery finish. This quick and effortless recipe combines simple pantry staples to create a flavorful and elegant meal perfect for weeknight dinners or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 2 large chicken breasts, thinly sliced or pounded evenly into cutlets
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (or almond flour for gluten-free)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1/2 cup chicken broth or white wine (or extra chicken broth/white grape juice for no alcohol)
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained
Garnish
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- Optional: thin lemon slices or twists for presentation
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Slice chicken breasts into thin cutlets or gently pound them to an even thickness. Season the flour with salt and pepper, then dredge each chicken piece lightly in the flour, shaking off any excess to avoid a clumpy crust.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the floured chicken cutlets and cook for about 3 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Make the Sauce: In the same skillet, add chicken broth or white wine to deglaze by scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Stir in fresh lemon juice, capers, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Cook the sauce until it slightly thickens and becomes glossy.
- Combine and Serve: Return the cooked chicken to the pan, spoon the sauce over each piece to coat evenly, and warm through for about one minute. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and optional lemon slices before serving.
Notes
- For even cooking, pound chicken cutlets to uniform thinness.
- Shake off excess flour after dredging to avoid a gummy crust.
- Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for a brighter, fresher sauce flavor.
- Properly deglaze the pan to incorporate flavorful browned bits into the sauce.
- Stir in butter at the end to create a silky, glossy finish to the sauce.
- Substitute all-purpose flour with almond or gluten-free flour for a gluten-free version.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 110mg