This easy chicken piccata recipe is an elegant dinner that’s ready in no time!
Fried chicken cutlets are topped with capers and a lemon butter sauce spiked with white wine.
It’ll remind you of a restaurant-quality dish, yet it couldn’t be easier. And everyone at the table will rave about it – after licking their plates clean!
What Is Chicken Piccata?
Chicken piccata features pan-fried chicken cutlets topped with a butter lemon sauce.
It’s one of the easiest but most flavorful chicken recipes you’ll ever make.
The meat is thin, but super juicy. And the buttery lemon sauce is silky smooth and wonderfully light.
It’s usually served over pasta, but you can also enjoy it on its own, with salad, or potatoes.
Ingredients
A few pantry and kitchen staples make it easy to whip up this masterpiece.
- Chicken Breasts – Boneless and skinless work best.
- Flour – For dredging the chicken, giving it a crunchy crust.
- Butter – To make that thick, velvety sauce.
- Olive oil – For frying the chicken. It’s rich in omega-3 and omega-6, so it’s good for you!
- Lemon juice – Freshly squeezed, to bring out the flavors.
- White wine – Apart from flavor, it keeps the chicken moist and tender.
- Don’t worry, the alcohol content evaporates while cooking, so the dish is 100% safe for kids.
- Capers – To add tanginess and a burst of lemony flavor.
How to Make Chicken Piccata
You don’t have to be a pro chef to whip up this delicious recipe! Simply follow these easy steps.
1. Mix the dry ingredients, then dredge the chicken. Combine the flour, salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Dip the chicken into the bowl and toss it to coat fully. Shake off any excess flour.
2. Melt the butter and sear the chicken. Cook for about 10 minutes, depending on how thick the chicken is. When cooked, take the meat out of the skillet.
3. Deglaze the pan and make the sauce. Pour the white wine into the skillet to get the brown bits off the bottom. Stir in the lemon and reduce the heat to thicken the sauce.
4. Add the capers and chicken. Toss the chicken to coat and warm.
5. Serve and enjoy. Plate the chicken and pour over the sauce from the skillet. Garnish it with lemon slices and parsley.
Tips for the Best Chicken Piccata
With only seven ingredients and about 15 minutes of cooking, this dish is beyond easy.
But as always, I have some tips up my sleeve:
- Cut the chicken into thin cutlets. Do this with a sharp knife. Pound them after cutting to make sure they’re all even.
- Season the raw meat. Generously season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
- Swap broth for wine. If you don’t like or don’t have wine, broth will work just as well. The flavor will be slightly different, though.
- Don’t overcoat the chicken! Remember: you’re making piccata, not chicken Milanese. So, just lightly dredge the chicken in flour and shake off any excess.
- Get toasty. Add some toasted flaked almonds for more texture and flavor. Sesame or sunflower seeds make a perfect garnish, too.
- Garnishes galore. Garnish it with fresh herbs like parsley and coriander for flavor and flair. Thyme and rosemary are also fantastic choices!
What to Serve With Chicken Piccata
Because chicken piccata is such a simple dish, it pairs beautifully with almost anything. Here are some serving ideas:
- Pasta – Fettuccine Alfredo, angel hair pasta, buttered noodles – take your pick.
- Potatoes – Whether mashed potatoes or oven-roasted, you can’t go wrong.
- Starch – I’m talking rice, dinner rolls, crusty bread, and sweet potato wedges.
- Vegetables – For a lighter meal, pair your piccata with roasted veggies, sauteed spinach, or steamed asparagus.
How to Store
If you happen to have leftover chicken piccata, here’s how to keep it fresh.
To Store: Place cold leftovers in an air-tight container and keep them in the fridge for 3-5 days.
To Freeze: This dish does not freeze well due to the sauce. But if you must, be sure to store the sauce and chicken separately.
To Reheat: Reheat chicken piccata in a baking dish with a bit of chicken stock. Cover the dish with foil, then bake at 350°F for about 15-20 minutes.
More Chicken Dishes You’ll Enjoy
Ritz Cracker Chicken
Coca Cola Chicken
No-Peek Chicken
Chick-fil-A Chicken Tortilla Soup
Melt in Your Mouth Chicken
Chicken Piccata
4
servings15
minutes20
minutes483
kcalThis easy recipe for chicken piccata is a simple yet superb dinner that’s ready in no time! Made with butter, lemon juice, white wine, and capers, the flavor is just to die for!
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – trimmed and cut in half horizontally
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon capers
1 lemon, sliced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Combine the flour, salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Coat the chicken with the flour mixture evenly. Shake off any excess flour.
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat; be careful not to brown the butter. Sear the chicken until the juices run clear, and it’s no longer pink inside, about 10 minutes. Remove from the skillet and keep warm.
- Pour the white wine into the skillet, scraping the bottom to melt any remaining browned bits of food. Stir in the lemon and reduce heat to low. Cook the sauce, stirring often, for 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
- Add the capers and chicken. Toss the chicken to coat.
- Place the chicken in a serving dish. Top with sauce and garnish with lemon slices and parsley. Enjoy!
Notes
- Cut the chicken into evenly sized cutlets. Pound them under plastic wrap if they’re not the same thickness.
Nutrition
- Calories: 483kcal
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Protein: 29g
- Fat: 27g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Cholesterol: 126mg
- Sodium: 809mg
- Potassium: 84mg
- Fiber: 2g
- Sugar: 2g
- Calcium: 21mg
- Iron: 2mg
Love this recipe. Would like to have a small print out for a recipe card.
Hi Carole, if you scroll down to the recipe card, you’ll see the option to print on the photo. Just click that button, and it will print the recipe for you!