This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This easy chicken piccata recipe is a classic Italian American dish with a lemon butter caper sauce that’s fast to make at home! A few simple ingredients, 25 minutes, and you’re set.
Craving more restaurant-quality chicken dinners? Try my Easy Chicken Madeira!
What is chicken piccata?
It’s pan-fried chicken in a piccata sauce, which is a combination of butter, oil, fresh lemon juice, and capers. Simple, right? The secret to making the best chicken piccata is having the perfect amount of lemon, and I’ve got you covered with this really easy chicken recipe.
You can make this dreamy dish two different ways, and we’ve got instructions for both! One is a creamy chicken piccata, and the other is not. They’re both extremely tasty. The cream takes it to the next level, but depending on your mood or dietary restrictions, you may want to try it without!
What you’ll need
- Chicken – we’re slicing chicken breasts in half lengthwise and not pounding them so it’s even faster
- Garlic powder – along with salt & pepper, seasoning the cutlets with it gives a fabulous savory foundation
- Flour – for dredging
- Olive oil and butter – for pan-frying the chicken until golden brown
- Chicken broth – to infuse the sauce with flavor. Sub for a dry white wine like pinot grigio to make it even more luxurious.
- Lemon juice – always use freshly squeezed lemon juice vs concentrate
- Lemon zest – for that extra brightness and zing
- Capers – the briny flavor balances the lemon
- Heavy cream – to make the sauce rich
- Parsley – adds a pop of freshness
Can I make it without cream?
- You can definitely make chicken piccata without cream! If you do so, increase the chicken broth to 3/4 cup. You could even do a half chicken broth/half white wine mix.
- I don’t recommend subbing the cream for something like milk or half-and-half for a couple of reasons. The acidity of the lemon will likely curdle the sauce, and the sauce won’t thicken as well. Either omit it completely or use heavy cream.
How to make chicken piccata
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Cut chicken breasts in half lengthwise to make thinner cutlets. Sprinkle them with salt & pepper and garlic powder, then dredge them in the flour. Brown on both sides. Remove them from the pan and add the chicken broth, lemon juice, butter, and capers, scraping up the brown bits.
Stir in the cream. Return the chicken to the pan, and simmer until the sauce has reduced and the chicken is cooked through. Easy peasy!
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- I zest the lemon with my Microplane zester/grater.
- Be careful to not overcook the chicken since we’re using thin cutlets! It’s cooked when the internal temperature is 165F. Use an instant read thermometer.
- I love using my splatter guard in recipes like this one since it saves a lot of clean-up hassle, and here is the cast iron skillet I use.
Substitutions and variations
- If using small chicken breasts, you can keep them intact, but they may take a few more minutes to cook through.
- You can try using chicken thighs if you prefer. They may take a little longer to cook as well.
- I find the recipe is perfectly salted with regular chicken broth, but if you’re at all sensitive to salt, use a low-sodium one.
What to serve with chicken piccata
- I love it with a classic combo of Mashed Potatoes and Sautéed Green Beans or Garlic Butter Broccolini so that it’s a complete meal. This Stick of Butter Rice is also delicious or my Simple Risotto.
- It’s also great with pasta. Try it with these Quick & Easy Garlic Butter Noodles, and then pair it with this Super Simple Parmesan Arugula Salad!
- I like to top it with some freshly grated parmesan cheese. It’s next-level amazing.
Leftovers and storage
- Leftovers will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge. Reheat in a saucepan over a low heat.
- I don’t recommend freezing this recipe, especially if you’re making the creamy version.
More easy chicken recipes
Have you made this lemon chicken piccata? Got questions? Let me know in the comments below! As always, tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram so I can see your creations.
Easy Chicken Piccata
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Flour (for dredging)
- 4 tablespoons butter divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup chicken broth or dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice + zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon brined capers drained
- 1/2 cup heavy/whipping cream
- Garnish (optional) chopped parsley and/or freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Slice the chicken breasts lengthwise (I butterfly then cut in half) to make 4 thinner cutlets. Trim off any fat. Season the chicken generously with salt & pepper and sprinkle with garlic powder. Coat the chicken in flour.
- Add 2 tablespoons of the butter plus the olive oil to a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Once the pan is hot, cook the chicken pieces for about 4-5 minutes per side until golden. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Take the pan off the heat and add the chicken broth, lemon juice, lemon zest, remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, and capers to the skillet. Scrape up any browned bits.
- Stir in the cream and return the pan to the heat. Once it's bubbling again, add the chicken back into the pan. If you want to make this recipe without cream, increase the chicken broth to 3/4 cup.
- Cook for another 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has reduced to your liking (you may need to turn down the heat a bit if it's bubbling furiously). If the sauce thickens too much, add more broth.
- Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and/or parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
- If using smaller chicken breasts, leave them intact (but you will likely need to cook them for a bit longer).
- If you don’t want the cream in it, I recommend omitting it entirely vs. using something like half-and-half because the sauce is likely to curdle and not thicken as well.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth if sensitive to salt.
- I highly recommend this lemon zester.
- This recipe can also be found on page 86 of the Salt & Lavender: Everyday Essentials cookbook.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.
This recipe was originally published on September 4, 2015. It’s been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!
This recipe is amazing. My husband and I enjoyed it so much. I will double the sauce next time as he’s all about the “gravy”, which was fabulous. I made it with the white wine. It will become a favorite in the rotation.
Yay!! Great to hear, Becky.
Can I make this ahead of time and freeze? Will it taste fresh and just as good once warmed up?
Thanks!
Hi! See “leftovers and storage” in the blog post above. 🙂
Hello, I’m trying to double the recipe. It’s calls for 8 tablespoons of butter divided. But in the instructions, it only comes to 4 tablespoons?. Any help would be appreciated.
Hi Juliet! Unfortunately, the recipe card software doesn’t have the ability to automatically change the corresponding in-text directions after you’ve hit 2x, only the ingredients. You’ll have to manually do those calculations (8 tbsp butter divided is 4 tbsp/4 tbsp). Enjoy!
This was absolutely delicious!! Next time I will double or maybe even triple the sauce so I have enough with my pasta.
Thank you, Hannah!
I doubled the recipe, and it was absolutely delicious.
Thrilled you enjoyed it, Christina! Thanks 🙂
I made this recipe exactly as written and served it over jasmine rice. Spectacular! The only thing I might do in the future is increase the sauce ingredients so I can have a little extra to add to the additional rice I made. The sauce turned out so silky! Will definitely make again.
Wonderful to hear, Sharon!!
How do I keep the sauce from breaking?
Use at least 33% fat cream. Don’t add it cold straight from the fridge. Don’t let the sauce boil too much.
You can let your dairy/plant based dairy sit out during your initial prep to reduce the temp. If you’re short on time, you can place it in the microwave for 30-60 seconds to take the chill off. You can also spoon some of the sauce/drippings from the pan into the heavy cream Before adding it to the sauce. Stir to combine. The temperature difference will help reduce the cream temp. enough to add to the sauce, in addition to the Ph level changing because of the acid from the lemon, and the brine plus salt from the capers. This method is a lifesaver when you need to add cornstarch to any sauce to thicken or make gravy. You add a few tablespoons of the hot liquid/sauce to the cornstarch & ice water, stirring quickly until incorporated (you can also use a whisk). Slowly add the mixture stirring continuously until blended & bring to a boil. Turn your power source off & let sit for 5-10 minutes. Serve immediately. Hope this helps & enjoy!
Great, easy recipe!
Thanks so much, Randell!
Amazing! Very easy to make and tasted fabulous!
Yay! Glad to hear it, Lisa.
Natasha, we love this Easy Chicken Piccata recipe as well as so many more of your other recipes! We would love to know what particular pan (brand and size) you are using in the photos in this recipe Our beloved family cast iron pan is great but we hesitate making sauces in it do to how well those before us have seasoned it.
Hi!! I’m so happy to hear that! 😀 The skillet is actually linked above in the “tools for this recipe” section. It’s enameled cast iron. 🙂