Golden, juicy, and bursting with zippy lemon flavor, this chicken piccata recipe comes together in 20 minutes or less. The easy piccata sauce is perfectly silky with no heavy cream necessary. And it could not be easier!
This chicken piccata recipe leans into the bold, bright flavors of the original, swapping a touch of butter for rich and fruity extra virgin olive oil. The result is a slightly lighter piccata sauce that’s every bit as delicious! And, like the Italian-American classic, it’s a no-fuss crowdpleaser that comes together quickly, making it perfect for busy weeknight dinners.
If you’ve been here long enough you know it takes little convincing for me to love anything bright, lemony and garlicky. So “anything piccata” is often on my rotation, including piccata meatballs and fish piccata.
Aside from the bold Mediterranean flavor, what I love about lemon chicken piccata is that it’s very forgiving. A light coating of all purpose flour gives the chicken a crisp exterior, but you can use whole wheat, gluten free, or skip the flour altogether. Wine brings a depth, but swap in chicken stock if you avoid alcohol. Chicken cutlets or sliced chicken breasts cook quickly, but just give chicken thighs extra time in the pan.
I think you get the idea! Like any great recipe this one is essentially impossible to mess up. Make on repeat with something to soak up the sauce, like homemade garlic bread, spaghetti, or white beans.
Table of Contents
What is Chicken Piccata?
Chicken piccata is an Italian-American adaptation of an Italian veal dish. In Italy, piccata refers to a style of preparing veal where it’s dredged in flour, seared, and finished in a lemon butter sauce. Chicken piccata simply swaps chicken–typically chicken breasts–for a more accessible twist.
Lemon Chicken Piccata Ingredients and Substitutions
I like to keep my piccata sauce light, lemony, and flavorful, so I swap some of the butter with fruity extra virgin olive oil. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Chicken breasts are easy to slice thin, so they cook quickly. They’re also a leaner meat, which complements the light and zippy sauce nicely. You can use other cuts of chicken, just be sure to cook them to 165°F.
- Flour gives the seared chicken a crispy outer layer, and helps to thicken the sauce. Feel free to substitute whole wheat, gluten free, or skip the flour altogether.
- Extra virgin olive oil adds depth to the sauce, complementing the citrusy flavor with its fresh and fruity notes. I love our buttery Italian Nocellara with this lemon chicken piccata recipe.
- Ghee or butter makes the piccata sauce rich and velvety with no cream needed.
- Lemon juice: Fresh is best! The lemon is the primary flavor in chicken piccata, so I recommend juicing the lemons just before cooking for the best flavor.
- White wine adds depth to the simple sauce. The alcohol will mostly cook off, but if you avoid it entirely simply substitute with chicken stock or broth.
- Capers: Give chicken piccata its signature briny note.
- Parsley adds freshness and a nice burst of color.
- Kosher salt and black pepper enhance the flavor.
How to Make Chicken Piccata
The beauty of lemon chicken piccata is that it’s not only simple but very forgiving. It’s a recipe you can commit to memory and make on repeat! Here are the steps:
- Get ready: Set a sheet pan in the oven and heat the oven to 200°F (this is to keep the chicken warm as you work in batches). Juice enough lemons to get 1/3 cup lemon juice. Chop a handful of fresh parsley for garnish.
- Slice 1 pound of boneless chicken breasts in half: Place your hand on top of the chicken and use a sharp knife to carefully slice horizontally, starting at the thickest side, to make two thinner cutlets. Optionally, cut them in half crosswise to make smaller pieces (so if you started with 2 large breast halves, you end up with up to 8 smaller pieces).
- Season the chicken: Pat the chicken dry and season all over with salt and pepper. Spread 1/2 cup flour on a plate. Lightly coat the chicken on both sides with the flour.
- Sear the chicken. In a large cast iron skillet, heat a thin layer of olive oil (about 1/4 cup) over medium-high until shimmering but not smoking. Working in batches, cook the chicken until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the seared chicken to the oven to keep warm.
- Prepare the lemon sauce. In the same skillet over medium heat, add a drizzle more olive oil. Add 3 tablespoons ghee or butter and stir until melted, then stir in the lemon juice, 1/2 cup wine, and 1/4 cup drained capers. Bring the sauce to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from cooking the chicken earlier.
- Finish and serve. Return the cooked chicken to the skillet with the sauce. Lower the heat and let simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, basting the top of the chicken with the sauce. Remove from the heat and garnish with the parsley. Serve with the pan sauce drizzled over top and lemon wedges on the side.
What to Serve with Chicken Piccata
Chicken piccata is a leaner meat with a bright, zippy flavor, so it can handle any number of sides, from light and fresh Italian Chopped Salad to richer options like Ciabatta Garlic Bread. I say you serve with both!
Another classic option is to turn it into pasta dinner, and you’re already ninety percent of the way there. Simply double the sauce and toss with 12 ounces of cooked spaghetti, then slice the chicken and serve on top.
How to Store Lemon Chicken Piccata
Keep any leftover chicken in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium until warmed through.
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Lemon Chicken Piccata Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup flour, for dredging
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons ghee or butter
- 1/3 cup lemon juice (from about 2 lemons), plus lemon wedges for serving
- 1/2 cup white wine or chicken broth
- 1/4 cup capers (3-ounce jar), rinsed and drained
- Freshly chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Get ready: Set a sheet pan in the oven and heat the oven to 200°F (this is to keep the chicken warm as you work in batches).
- Slice the chicken: Place your hand on top of the chicken and use a sharp knife to carefully slice horizontally, starting at the thickest side, to make two thinner cutlets. Optionally, cut them in half crosswise to make smaller pieces (so if you started with 2 large breast halves, you end up with up to 8 smaller pieces).
- Season the chicken: Pat the chicken dry and season all over with salt and pepper. Lightly coat on both sides with the flour and shake off any excess flour.
- Sear the chicken. In a large cast iron skillet, heat a thin layer of olive oil (about 1/4 cup) over medium-high until shimmering but not smoking. Working in batches, cook the chicken until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the seared chicken to the oven to keep warm.
- Prepare the lemon sauce. In the same skillet (over medium heat), add a drizzle more olive oil. Add the ghee or butter and stir until melted, then stir in the lemon juice, wine, and capers. Bring the sauce to a boil, scrapping off any browned bits from cooking the chicken earlier.
- Finish and serve. Return the cooked chicken to the skillet with the sauce. Lower the heat and let simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, basting the top of the chicken with the sauce. Remove from the heat and garnish with the parsley. Serve with the pan sauce drizzled over top and lemon wedges on the side.
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Notes
Nutrition
*This post originally appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in 2019 and has been updated with new information and media for readers’ benefit.
Both my wife and I loved this. As usual the instructions were very complete and easy to follow. I used wine rather than chicken broth. Would be curious to hear from those that used the broth. I have already shared the recipe with 6 people.