15-Minute Lemon Chicken Piccata

Juicy, tender lemon chicken piccata in a tangy caper & lemon sauce! This comforting & classic Italian dish is made in one pan, takes 15 minutes to cook, 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, chicken piccata is an Italian dish that is traditionally 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 that is created in this dish pairs perfectly with any pasta noodle (regular wheat pasta or gluten-free noodles) and of course – fresh parmesan for topping! This dish is super fresh, has a bright flavor, and is incredibly easy to prepare.

Ingredients – What You Need

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.

Step by Step Recipe Instructions

• 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.

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• 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.

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• 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!

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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