Description
Quick Chicken Piccata is a tender, flavorful dish ready in just 20 minutes. Featuring thin chicken breasts cooked to golden perfection and a bright, tangy lemon-caper sauce, it’s an ideal fast weeknight meal that feels special without complicated steps. This meal balances lean protein, zesty citrus, and briny capers, making it light yet satisfying and perfect for pairing with pasta, rice, or vegetables.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced or pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (or almond flour/gluten-free flour for gluten-free option)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Cooking Fats
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
Sauce
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- 1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained (rinsed if a milder salt level is desired)
- Optional: 2 tablespoons dry white wine (for extra depth)
- Optional: 1 tablespoon heavy cream or crème fraîche (for a richer sauce)
Garnish and Finishing
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- Lemon slices or zest, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Slice chicken breasts horizontally into thin cutlets or pound gently until about half an inch thick for even cooking. Season both sides lightly with salt and pepper, then dredge each piece in flour, shaking off any excess.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken cutlets and cook 3-4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside on a plate.
- Make the Sauce: In the same skillet, add fresh lemon juice, chicken stock, and capers. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all browned bits from the pan’s bottom to build flavor. Let the sauce simmer gently for a few minutes until slightly reduced. If using, stir in white wine and/or cream now.
- Combine and Finish: Return the chicken pieces to the skillet, spoon sauce over them, and let simmer together for 1 minute to meld flavors. Just before serving, stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter to enrich the sauce and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Garnish with lemon slices or zest if desired.
Notes
- Flatten chicken evenly for uniform cooking and tender results.
- Scrape pan bits with a wooden spoon to maximize sauce flavor.
- Always use fresh lemon juice for authentic bright tang.
- Adjust heat to medium-high to prevent butter from burning.
- Rinse capers for milder saltiness to better control seasoning.
- Gluten-free adaptation: substitute flour with almond or gluten-free flour.
- Protein swaps: try turkey cutlets or firm white fish for variation.
- Store sauce separately to keep chicken from becoming soggy when refrigerated.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg