Chicken piccata is flavorful and beyond easy to make! This tasty dish requires surprisingly few ingredients and is cooked in a lemon butter sauce topped with capers.
The crispy chicken is smothered in an addictively tangy lemon-butter pan sauce studded with salty capers. For more tasty chicken dishes try Mayo Parmesan Chicken Bake, Baked Chicken Parmesan, and Lemon Garlic Chicken.
What is Chicken Piccata?
Chicken Piccata is an Americanized version of the Italian classic, Veal Piccata. It’s delicious, covered in a lemon butter sauce and topped with capers. Thankfully it’s also super easy to make.
The Piccata is often served over a bed of pasta. Angel hair is a beautiful pasta to use as it is as light and dainty at the piccata. Some other things to serve with this include:
- Mashed potatoes
- Egg noodles or other pasta
- Zucchini noodles
- Rice
This easy chicken dish is an amazing dinner made in minutes that the entire family will love. This one pan wonder is sure to become a staple on your dinner rotation!
How to Make Chicken Piccata
SEASON. Season all sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.
DREDGE. Add flour to a bowl to dredge the chicken in. Shake off excess flour.
MELT. Melt 2 tbsp butter along with 3 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
COOK. When the oils start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 5-8 minutes on each side (internal temp 165°F). Remove the chicken and place on a plate.
BOIL. Leave juices and oil in the pan and add lemon juice, chicken stock and capers. Bring the mixture to a boil, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan to add flavor. Taste and season accordingly.
SIMMER. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken and place on a platter.
WHISK. Add 2 more tbsp butter to the pan and whisk the sauce vigorously.
GARNISH. Pour the sauce over the chicken and garnish with parsley.
Recipe Tips
Chicken: You want to be sure to use a thin tender piece of chicken. If you have a thick breast, then you’ll want to slice it half right through the center (Like you’re cutting a roll for a sandwich). You are also going to want to pound the chicken with a meat tenderizer. If you don’t have a meat tenderizer use the side of a glass cup and roll over the chicken to thin it out a bit.
Some other tips to create the best piccata include:
- Don’t skip the flour. You can also use rice flour or almond flour.
- Be sure to use fresh lemon juice for the best flavor.
- Add lemon zest to turn up the lemon flavor
- Don’t forget to rinse the capers.
- To thicken the sauce use cornstarch- in a separate bowl add 1 tsp cold water and 1 tsp cornstarch. Mix until smooth then add to the sauce.
Storing, Reheating + Side Ideas
Leftover Piccata can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. You can also freeze it in a freeze safe container for 1-2 months. Thaw before reheating
Reheat: If you’re in a hurry you can easily reheat it in the microwave. Add a bit of broth to a dish and cover with plastic wrap. Heat until warm and tender.
If you have the time I suggest you reheat in the oven. The key is to heat slowly with a bit of chicken broth. Preheat the pen to 300 degrees F. Place the chicken and some broth in a baking dish and cover with foil. Heat for 15- 20 minutes or until warm and tender.
Sides to Serve:
For more Italian Dishes, check out:
Chicken Piccata Recipe
Ingredients
- 3-4 skinless chicken breast boneless
- sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- all purpose flour for dredging
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 c fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 c chicken stock
- 1/4 c brined capers rinsed
- 1/3 c fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Season all sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Add flour to a bowl to dredge the chicken in. Shake off excess flour.
- Melt 2 tbsp butter along with 3 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
- When the oils start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 5-8 minutes on each side (internal temp 165°F). Remove the chicken and place on a plate.
- Leave juices and oil in the pan and add lemon juice, chicken stock and capers. Bring the mixture to a boil, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan to add flavor. Taste and season accordingly.
- Return the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken and place on a platter.
- Add 2 more tbsp butter to the pan and whisk the sauce vigorously.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken and garnish with parsley.
Great recipe for chicken piccata. Simple and easy to make.
My absolute favorite chicken dish! Everyone loves this recipe!
Delicious chicken! I love having Italian flavors but not necessarily tomato sauce. Perfect weeknight dinner.
This is a recipe that I hadn’t made in ages, and now I am wondering why I waited??? It is so easy and delicious and feels just a little fancy. My family loved it!
Sounds fancy but is super simple. My kind of recipe.
The lemon butter sauce adds so much flavor! It’s an easy dish that my whole family enjoys!
This recipe was delicious and had great flavor. My whole family liked it. I loved the subtle acidity.
Thank you so much!!
Was delicious. My whole family loved it and wanted me to make it the very next week.
My daughter’s favorite meal
Yum!
This is my favorite dish of all time and your version is amazing! Tastes delicious and is super easy. The lemon butter sauce is drinkable. I always makes extra.
Simple and easy. I love lemon and this is one of my favorite things to eat! Yum!
I always get this when we eat out! It’s a favorite for sure! And I never thought I would find a recipe for it! You are just awesome and my family loves everything I have made so far!!
Thanks
Sharon