Italian Lemon Chicken Piccata

Juicy, tender lemon chicken piccata in a tangy caper & lemon sauce! This comforting & classic Italian dish is made in one pan, is so easy to make, and is filled with impressive flavor.

Dinner for tonight –> Tender breaded chicken in a simple, flavorful sauce with a touch of lemon and tangy capers. This dish is dressed to impress but is beyond easy to make! It takes just 15 minutes to cook using one pan and is on the table in a total of 30 minutes. It’s fast and fancy!

If you’ve never had it before, Italian “picatta” is usually made with veal or chicken. It is prepared by first slicing the protein in half, dredging in flour, and then browning in a pan with butter, capers, and lemon. The luscious sauce created in this dish pairs perfectly with any pasta noodle (regular wheat pasta or gluten free noodles) and of course – fresh parmesan for topping!

Ingredients Needed

This recipe requires only 9 simple ingredients. Here’s everything you’ll need:

Chicken breasts: slice two chicken breasts in half to create 4 cutlets.
Oil: I like using avocado or olive oil.
Lemon: for this recipe you’ll use the whole lemon – zest and juice.
Flour: use all-purpose, gluten free flour blend, or make it healthy by using oat flour.
Butter: you can use regular butter or vegan butter for a dairy-free option.
Chicken broth: I recommend using low-sodium broth and adjusting the salt to your desired taste.
Capers: make sure to drain and rinse capers before using.
Garlic: I like using fresh garlic and adding a little bit of garlic powder for additional flavor!
Parsley: I recommend using fresh parsley to sprinkle over your finished dish.

How to Make Lemon Chicken Piccata

• First, whisk sauce ingredients together in small bowl or liquid measuring cup.
• Use a roller pin or smooth side of a meat hammer to pound the chicken until 1/2 to 1/4 inch in thickness. Place chicken breasts in ziplock bag or between two sheets of parchment paper for this step.

• Next, season the chicken with salt & pepper on both sides and dip into flour.
• Then, heat oil and butter in a pan and brown chicken for 3 minutes on each side. Chicken should be cooked fully. Remove chicken breasts from pan.

• Then in the same pan the chicken cooked in, add butter and minced garlic. Cook for 30 seconds and then add chicken broth and caper mixture. Deglaze the bottom of the pan to get the chicken bits in with the sauce – super important! We want ALL the flavor.
• Simmer sauce for 4-5 minutes, whisking often. When its reduced, add the chicken and top with fresh parsley, lemon slices, and parmesan!

Our Favorite Ways to Serve it Up

Pasta: This recipe can be served with your favorite pasta noodles like egg noodles, penne, shells, or spaghetti. You can use regular wheat noodles or make it healthier by using chickpea pasta noodles – our favorite!
Vegetables: Almost any vegetable medley would go well with this recipe but I recommend roasted asparagus, broccoli, or fingerling potatoes.
You can also serve this with a baked french bread or salad with a light vinaigrette.

Tips for Success

• The sauce: to make the base of this sauce you can either use chicken broth or dry white wine. The end result of the sauce should be reduced and slightly thickened – if needed add 1 to 2 teaspoons of extra flour to thicken sauce.
• Butter + oil: oil is usually the top choice for cooking chicken in it, but using a touch of butter will add the perfect amount of richness to cook the chicken in. 
• Add parmesan cheese: fresh parmesan sprinkled over the finished product will add a delicious nutty flavor and melt beautifully in with the sauce.
• Best wine pairings: to pair with the lemony tang of the sauce, I recommend a buttery chardonnay or a crisp sauvignon blanc! Or a semi-dry white blend.

More Chicken Dinners to Try

• Roasted Lemon Rosemary Chicken & Potatoes
• Authentic Italian Chicken Parmesan
• 10-Minute Teriyaki Chicken & Broccoli

If you tried this Italian Lemon Chicken Piccata recipe or any other recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know what you think. I love hearing from you! You can also follow me on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM, and FACEBOOK for more crave-worthy content.

Italian Lemon Chicken Piccata

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Juicy, tender lemon chicken piccata in a tangy caper & lemon sauce! This comforting & classic Italian dish is made in one pan, is so easy to make, and is filled with impressive flavor.

Servings 4

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 30 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Tags: easy chicken piccata, italian chicken piccata, lemon chicken piccata

Freezer Friendly: Yes

Calories: 313 kcal

Author: Bethany Kramer

Ingredients

• 2 large boneless and skinless chicken breasts halved to make 4 cutlets
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 Tablespoon olive oil
• 3 Tablespoon butter
• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder optional
• 2 Tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed
• fresh parsley, chopped
• salt & pepper

Instructions

1. Whisk sauce ingredients: In a small bowl or liquid measuring up, whisk chicken broth, lemon juice + zest, garlic powder, and capers together. Set aside for later.

2. Tenderize the chicken: Then place chicken breasts into a ziplock bag or lay between two pieces of parchment paper. Use a smooth side of a meat hammer or a rolling pin to pound the meat until it's about 1/2 to 1/4 inch thick. Tip: this tenderizes the chicken and also helps it to cook evenly.

3. Dip in flour: Evenly sprinkle salt & pepper over both sides of chicken breasts. Add flour to a shallow bowl and dredge chicken into flour on both sides.

4. Brown chicken: Heat olive oil and 2 Tbsp butter in a large pan. Add floured chicken to pan and cook for 3 minutes on each side (cooking time will depend on the thickness of the chicken). Chicken should be browned and cooked through. Remove from pan onto another plate. 

5. Add sauce and simmer: In the same pan, add 1 Tablespoon of butter and minced garlic. Saute until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add chicken broth and caper mixture to garlic – whisk ingredients together (make sure you scrape the bottom of the pan to get all the chicken flavor). Reduce sauce for about 4-5 minutes, whisk often. 

6. Add chicken and serve: Add chicken to pan with sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley and parmesan cheese. 

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