Description
Lemon Chicken Piccata is a bright, tangy skillet dinner made with golden chicken cutlets and a silky lemon-butter sauce finished with briny capers. It’s fast enough for a weeknight, but special enough to serve to guests.
Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (pounded to even thickness)
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (for dredging)
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
2 tbsp capers, drained
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
2. Lightly dredge the chicken in flour and shake off any excess.
3. Heat olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Sear chicken 3–4 minutes per side until golden; transfer to a plate.
5. Lower heat to medium and sauté garlic for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
6. Pour in chicken broth and lemon juice, scraping up browned bits from the pan.
7. Simmer 2–3 minutes, then return chicken (and any juices) to the skillet.
8. Simmer 4–6 minutes, flipping once, until chicken reaches 165°F / 74°C.
9. Stir in capers, lemon zest, and remaining butter; spoon sauce over chicken.
10. Finish with parsley and serve right away.
Notes
Want it gluten-free? Skip the flour dredge or use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
For a thicker sauce, simmer 1–2 extra minutes or whisk in a small cornstarch slurry.
Serve with pasta, roasted potatoes, or a crisp green salad to balance the lemony sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Sauté
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
- Calories: 360 kcal
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 9g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 41g
- Cholesterol: 115mg