An Easy Lemon Chicken Piccata that is so delicious! The Best Chicken Piccata Recipe that’s perfect for a healthy, easy dinner!
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We’re so excited to share this Chicken Piccata recipe that is nutritious, delicious and effortless to prepare!
It’s bright, zesty and full of wholesome ingredients, plus it’s easy enough that anyone can make it!
If you are looking for more Italian dishes, try our Italian Wedding Soup, Chicken Cacciatore, Ricotta Cavatelli, Pasta Fagioli, and of course Chicken Marsala.
Why You will love this Piccata Chicken
There is a lot to love about this chicken piccata recipe. It’s one of our favorite proteins for a healthy dinner because it’s:
- Delicious Flavor – Chicken Piccata is tender chicken in a lemon butter sauce with the tang of capers! You’re going to love it!
- Quick and Easy – This meal takes just over 30 minutes to make which makes it the perfect dish when you want a dinner that is quick, but loaded with flavor!
- Versatility – Pair chicken piccata with any of your favorite side dishes (see our favorites below), making it a delicious dinner for your family and guests.
What is chicken piccata?
Chicken piccata is an Italian-American dish consisting of thin chicken breasts sautéed in a lemon butter sauce infused with capers.
Lemon Piccata Chicken ingredients
For this lemon piccata you’ll need:
- chicken breasts
- salt, pepper
- all purpose flour
- olive oil
- shallot, garlic
- white wine
- chicken broth
- capers
- lemon
For serving:
- cooked orzo, angel hair pasta or cauliflower rice
- minced fresh parsley for garnish
- lemon slices
You can find substitutions for all of these ingredients below in the green shaded box.
What is the best white wine for chicken piccata?
Sauvignon blanc, Chardonnay, or Riesling work well in this recipe but any white wine will work!
How to make Chicken Piccata
- Slice the chicken breast in half horizontally to create two filets. Season with salt and pepper.
- Place all but 1 tablespoon of flour in a shallow dish. Lightly dredge the chicken in the flour, tapping off excess. Discard leftover flour.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Once heated, add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan, about 2 tablespoons. Sauté the chicken on the first side until golden brown, about 3 minute. Flip, adding more oil if needed, about 2 minutes. Remove chicken.
- Lower heat to medium. If the pan is dry, add another drizzle of oil, along with the shallots and garlic. Saute for 1-2 minutes. Add reserved flour, and cook for about 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with wine, scraping up any brown bits.
- Add the broth, capers, lemon juice, and zest, whisk vigorously, bring to a simmer.
- Add the chicken, baste the filets with the sauce, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 2 minutes.
SUBSTITUTIONS FOR CHICKEN PICCATA
Olive Oil: You can substitute avocado oil, butter, or ghee.
Chicken Breasts: You can substitute with boneless chicken thighs. Choose chicken breasts that are small and pink in color. These will be the most tender. Avoid chicken breasts that are very large, and pale in color with a wood grain appearance, these will be tough and rubbery.
All Purpose Flour: All purpose flour can be substituted with white whole wheat, or whole wheat flour. All purpose flour will have the best flavor for this dish. You can omit the flour completely, but your sauce will not thicken, it will be a liquid pan sauce. If you omit flour, use only ½ cup broth.
Shallot: ¼ cup finely minced yellow onion can be substituted for the shallot
Broth: Broth and stock are the same thing! You can use any broth or stock interchangeably. Beef Broth, Chicken Broth, or vegetable broth all work interchangeably. I always use low or no salt broth.
Capers: are salty, be sure to taste the sauce before seasoning with salt.
What are capers? Capers are tiny buds from the Capparis Spinosa bush. They are brined, or pickled, giving them a salty flavor, perfect for savory dishes. They can be found in the grocery store in tiny glass jars. Capers can be added to chicken piccata whole, or chopped if you are not fond of the texture.
For an extra rich sauce: Add a tablespoon of butter to the pan before sauteeing the shallot and garlic instead of olive oil.
Dry White Wine: Sauvignon blanc, Chardonnay or Riesling work well in this recipe but any white wine will work!
What to serve with Chicken Piccata
You can serve this Chicken Piccata with any of your favorite sides. Some of our favorites are:
- Healthy Mashed Potatoes
- Lemon Basil Risotto
- Cavatelli Pasta or rice
- Broccoli, asparagus, or green beans
- Blueberry Salad
- Grilled Vegetables
Pro Tip:
Crowding the pan will cause the chicken to steam instead of searing. Leave at least 1” space between each filet, and work in batches if needed.
How to store this recipe for Chicken Piccata
Storing: This chicken piccata will last in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Reheating: Place chicken in a cold pan, add a few tablespoons of broth, heat over medium low heat covered until heated through.
Lemon Chicken Piccata Recipe FAQs
In chicken piccata, “piccata” refers to the method of preparing the chicken by pounding it to an even thickness before cooking.
Both dishes feature chicken in a lemon-infused sauce, but piccata involves pounding the chicken and includes capers, while francaise uses an egg batter and has a creamier sauce.
Piccata sauce has a bright lemony taste, complimented by savory butter and the brininess of capers, resulting in a balance of acidity and richness.
If your chicken piccata tastes bitter, it may be due to overcooked lemons, excessive lemon juice, overcooked capers, or burnt butter or flour in the sauce.
Other healthy dinner recipes:
Looking for other easy meals? Check out these 40+ Healthy Dinner Recipes. Click here to grab our free healthy 30 minute dinners cookbook.
Lemon Piccata Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts 4 small chicken breasts
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup all purpose flour divided *see notes for substitutions
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup shallot finely minced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic minced
- ¼ cup dry white wine optional
- ¾ cup low sodium chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons capers chopped if desired
- 1 large lemon zested, then juiced
For serving
- Cooked orzo, angel hair pasta or cauliflower rice
- Minced fresh parsley for garnish
- Lemon slices
Instructions
- Trim chicken breast of excess fat. Slice the chicken breast in half horizontally to create two filets, or pound chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap until ¼” thick. Season with salt and pepper.
- Place all but 1 tablespoon of flour in a shallow dish or disposable plastic bag. Lightly dredge the chicken in the flour, tapping off excess. Discard leftover flour.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Once heated, add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan, about 2 tablespoons.
- Working in batches so the pan is not crowded, sauté the chicken on the first side until golden brown, about 3 minute. Flip and sauté the other side, adding more oil if needed, about 2 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken.
- Lower heat to medium. If the pan is dry, add another drizzle of oil, along with the shallots and garlic. Saute for 1-2 minutes, until shallot is translucent. Add reserved 1 TBSP flour, cook about 2 minutes.
- Add the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits with a wooden spoon. Add the chicken broth, capers, lemon juice, and zest, whisk vigorously, bring to a simmer.
- Add the chicken, basting the filets with the sauce, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 2 minutes.
- Add in another splash of broth if the sauce gets too thick. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt & pepper. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley and lemon wedges.
Margaret Byl says
One of my favorite waystoeat chickens! So easy, fast & tasty. Definitely a keeper.