Easy Chicken Piccata Recipe

Name: Easy Chicken Piccata
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (sliced in half lengthwise/horizontally to make thinner cuts); 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon black pepper; 1/2 cup all purpose flour; 8 tablespoons butter (divided); 2 tablespoons avocado oil (divided); 3-5 garlic cloves (minced); 1 cup chicken broth; 1/2 cup dry white wine (optional, you can replace with more chicken broth if desired); 1 large lemon (juiced); 1 teaspoon lemon zest; 3 tablespoons capers (drained); Lemon slices (for garnish (optional)); Fresh parsley (for garnish (optional))

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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!

Cooked chicken breasts garnished with lemon slices, capers, and chopped parsley.

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!

A skillet with cooked chicken breasts topped with lemon slices, capers, and fresh herbs on a white rustic table, next to salt and pepper shakers and a striped cloth.

Why We Love this Recipe

Simple ingredients: This chicken dish uses all fresh and simple ingredients that you can find in any grocery store.
Incredible flavor: The chicken breasts are bathed in a bright and refreshing buttery lemon caper sauce that takes this dish to a whole new level.
Easy but elegant: Chicken piccata is one of those amazing and versatile dishes that are super easy to make but looks fancy enough to serve at a dinner party.

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.

Raw seasoned chicken breast fillets in a clear glass bowl on a light surface.

Raw chicken breasts coated in flour inside a clear glass bowl on a light surface.

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.

Three cooked chicken breasts in a cast iron skillet on a light background.

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.

Butter, capers, and garlic cooking in a black cast iron pan on a gray surface.

Cast iron pan with bubbling liquid and spices, stirred with a wooden spoon on a light background.

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!

Cooked chicken breasts with capers and sauce in a cast iron skillet on a light background.

Seared chicken breasts in a skillet with lemon slices, capers, and herbs in a light sauce.

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!

Chicken piccata in a skillet, topped with sliced lemons, capers, and parsley.

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.

Plate of chicken piccata on a bed of linguine, garnished with capers, lemon slices, and parsley.

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.

Plate of chicken piccata on linguine with lemon slices and capers, garnished with parsley.

What To Serve With Chicken Piccata?

You can never go wrong serving this dish over fettuccine. You can also serve it over a bed of rice or with a side of these Rosemary and Garlic Mashed Potatoes.

If you’d prefer something on the lighter side, fresh green beans, a simple garden salad or grilled veggies are always a great choice.

Can I Freeze Lemon Chicken Piccata?

You sure can! For best results, let the chicken and the piccata sauce cool completely. Then place it in an airtight container or storage bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

To reheat, thaw the chicken overnight in the fridge and then heat chicken and sauce together in the oven.

A fork holds a piece of lemon chicken over a plate of pasta garnished with parsley and capers. Lemon slices and fresh herbs are visible on the pasta.

Want More Quick and Easy Dinner Recipes?

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

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Lisa, author of Fun Money Mom, standing in front of a kitchen counter with a cupcake.

About Lisa

Lisa O’Driscoll is a lifestyle and parenting expert, cookbook author, and the creative force behind Fun Money Mom, a popular blog she’s Lisa O’Driscoll is a lifestyle and parenting expert, cookbook author, and the creative force behind Fun Money Mom, a popular blog she’s run since 2014. She’s the author of the children’s cookbook Roll It, Slice It, Mash It, Dice It, designed to get kids excited about cooking. With multiple TV appearances under her belt, she loves sharing her expertise on family-friendly recipes, creative DIYs, and party planning and is always on a mission to inspire and entertain!

Meet Lisa