Easy Chicken Piccata Recipe

This Easy Chicken Piccata Recipe is a mouthwatering Italian classic that can be on the table in just 35 minutes! Golden pan-fried chicken breasts in a velvety lemon caper sauce makes this the perfect Italian comfort food for a busy weeknight dinner the whole family will love!

Easy Chicken Piccata

There is no doubt about it, classic Italian food is always a huge hit in our house. From Baked Ziti to Homemade Lasagna, we love them all.

But one of our new favorite dishes is this Chicken Piccata! It has the most delicious combination of flavors and texture. Tangy lemons with briny capers blend perfectly to create a buttery pan sauce. The sauce is then served over lightly floured chicken breasts that have been pan fried until they are a perfect golden brown.

Serve it with your favorite pasta or side dish and you’ll have an absolutely amazing dinner ready in minutes. If you’re looking for more delicious chicken dinner recipes, you’ll also want to try our favorite Honey Garlic Chicken recipe or this tasty Parmesan Crusted Chicken With Mayo!

Ingredients

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Salt & pepper
• All-purpose flour
• Butter
• Avocado oil
• Garlic cloves
• Chicken broth
• Dry white wine
• Lemon, juiced
• Lemon zest
• Capers
• Fresh parsley (for garnish)
• Lemon slices (for garnish)

How to Make the Best Chicken Piccata

Step 1. Slice chicken breasts in half lengthwise, then season on both sides with salt and pepper.

Step 2. Dredge the chicken in flour.

Step 3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter and oil. Once heated, add the chicken and sear on each side for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Remove from heat.

Note: You don’t want to crowd the pan so you may need to do this in batches. If so, add the same amount of butter and oil for each batch.

Step 4. Using the same pan, saute minced garlic for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.

Step 5. Next, mix in the rest of the butter, chicken broth, white wine, lemon juice, zest and capers. Use a wooden spoon to mix well and scrape up any brown bits that stick to the bottom of the pan.

Step 6. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer, uncovered, over low heat for about 10-15 minutes. The sauce should be reduced to the desired consistency and the chicken should be at an internal temperature of 165°. Stir the sauce occasionally and turn chicken over halfway through cooking.

Step 7: Garnish with lemon slices and chopped parsley. For extra flavor, spoon the extra sauce over the chicken before serving. Enjoy!

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up 4 days in the refrigerator.

We love serving this recipe over fettuccine pasta. For extra flavor, spoon the extra sauce over the chicken before serving. Enjoy!

Tips & Tricks

• If using small chicken breasts or tenderloins, you don’t have to slice them in half. Just flatten the chicken to 1″ thick pieces with a meat mallet. Since chicken breasts can be uneven, this will help them cook more evenly.
• Sometimes I’ll double the sauce when serving this over noodles so there’s enough to spoon over the noodles too. You can do this by adding 1/4 cup more wine and chicken broth and cooking 5-10 more minutes.
• Serving this with mashed potatoes? You may want to thicken the lemon butter sauce to be more of a gravy. To make a cornstarch slurry, combine 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water. Mix well, then stir the slurry into the sauce. Let simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until you reach the desired consistency.
• It’s best to avoid sweet wines. Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio both work great for this recipe.
• You don’t have to make chicken piccata with wine if you’d rather not. For an alcohol free version, just replace the wine with more chicken broth.

Variations

• Instead of using chicken, you can make veal piccata using this exact same recipe. This is such a versatile recipe; you can even use thin pork chops.
• Want a creamier sauce? Just prepare the recipe as directed, then remove from heat and whisk 1/4 cup of heavy cream into the sauce.
• Add sauteed mushrooms for even more texture and flavor. Sliced cremini or portobello taste great with the capers and lemon.
• For added flavor, top off this chicken dish with some freshly grated parmesan cheese and fresh lemon zest with extra lemon slices on the side.
• If you prefer dark meat chicken, you can easily substitute chicken thighs for the chicken breasts. Though the cooking process will be the same, the actual cook time may differ. To make sure chicken is cooked well done, it’s best to use an instant read meat thermometer to check for doneness.

Want More Quick and Easy Dinner Recipes?

• Philly Stuffed Pasta Shells
• Easy Sausage Stuffed Peppers
• Grilled Chicken Kabobs
• Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf
• Easy Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies
• Homemade Shake and Bake Pork Chops

Want more easy dinner recipes like this? Check out these speedy stovetop meals or this Pomegranate Chicken for busy weeknights.