Lemon Caper Chicken Piccata

Elevate your usual chicken dinner with this yummy chicken piccata recipe! Fried chicken cutlets with a rich lemony butter picatta sauce make for a droolworthy meal that everyone will love.

I don’t remember the first time I made chicken piccata, but I do remember my family’s reaction.

I told my daughter that I was making this for dinner, and she turned her nose up at me and gave me the stink eye.

Then at dinner, she took a bite and told me she was sorry for the ugly face because the chicken was SO GOOD!

I love it when that happens, and I want to share with you the chicken piccata recipe that made my daughter a believer!

CHICKEN PICCATA RECIPE

I agree with my family that this chicken picatta is really yummy, but I have my own reasons for liking it too:

• Simple enough for a nice family meal.
• But also fancy enough to host the boss for dinner.
• Works with chicken or fish (if there’s a sale on one or the other).
• It comes together quickly. Great for weeknight dinners!
• Leftovers reheat well!
• Plus, it’s WAY healthier than the version at Olive Garden!

I know these are “mom” reasons. But they’re still legit.

I don’t like fighting with my family over dinner, so when I make something that’s a bit more sophisticated than Homemade Hamburger Helper and they like it, I call it a winner!

LEMON CHICKEN PICATTA INGREDIENTS

The ingredients for lemon chicken picatta are very basic, but don’t let that fool you. This dinner is AMAZING!

• Chicken Breasts. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work too, and you can also make fish with the piccata sauce instead of chicken. Your cooking time will depend on which cut of meat you choose. Slice large chicken breasts in half lengthwise for thinner chicken.
• Flour. To dredge the chicken. I use all-purpose flour here. Gluten-free flour would work too!
• Salt and Pepper. You don’t need much seasoning for this chicken piccata dish, since the lemon and capers give you plenty of flavor!
• Olive Oil. To cook the chicken.
• Butter. To mix with the olive oil for cooking the chicken, AND as part of the piccatta sauce.
• Chicken Stock. Here’s how to make it homemade. This is the base of the sauce. If you use store-bought broth, use less salt when seasoning the chicken, or you might end up with too much saltiness!
• Lemon Juice. Fresh lemon juice gives a pop of citrus to the lemon caper chicken, and you can garnish with lemon slices, but bottled lemon juice will work if that’s what you have.
• Capers. Capers are really great for you and have anti-inflammatory benefits! If you’ve never had them before, they add a really delicious, salty, tangy flavor to the dish.
• Dried Parsley. Optional, for garnish.

Some picatta chicken recipes call for heavy cream or dry white wine in the sauce, but I think it’s rich enough with the butter. Feel free to add a splash if you prefer!

HOW TO MAKE LEMON CAPER CHICKEN

Step 1. Sprinkle the chicken lightly with salt and dredge both sides in flour to coat. Warm 1 Tablespoon of butter and 1 Tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat until the butter melts.

Step 2. Sauté 1-2 breasts (depending on the size of your pan), turning once, until browned on both sides and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. Repeat with another tablespoon of butter and olive oil and the remaining chicken until all pieces are cooked.

Discard any excess flour mixture when finished.

Step 3. Pour chicken stock and lemon juice into the skillet and bring to a boil, stirring to deglaze the bottom of the pan (that means scrape up any cooked-on brown bits of chicken to mix them into the sauce).

Step 4. Remove the pan from the heat and add the capers, parsley, and 1 Tablespoon of butter, and stir until the butter melts. Place the chicken back into the skillet and spoon chicken piccata sauces over. If desired, garnish with additional lemon slices. Serve immediately.

Store leftover chicken piccata in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

To make chicken piccata using thighs instead of chicken breasts:

You can use chicken thighs instead, but they will take longer to cook. When I use chicken breasts, this dish is ready in under 30 minutes. Chicken thighs will make your total cooking time closer to 45 minutes.

On the flip side, fish cooks faster than chicken, so you can get dinner on the table quickly!

SERVE WITH CHICKEN PICCATA DISH

I like to serve lemon caper chicken piccata with something that can soak up the rich butter sauce and a veggie. Try these sides:

• Instant Pot Brown Rice
• Instant Pot Quinoa
• Mashed Potatoes
• Oven-Roasted Broccoli
• Instant Pot Steamed Vegetables
• Lemon Butter Asparagus

For chicken piccata pasta, serve with your favorite cooked noodles such as linguine or angel hair and the piccata sauce.

You can also serve with a slice of crusty bread like No-Knead Artisan Bread to sop up the extra sauce. Yum!

CHICKEN PICATTA RECIPE MACRO TRACKING

Serving the best chicken piccata for dinner will give you both protein (from the chicken) and fat (from the lemon butter piccatta sauce). Add a complex carbohydrate for a side, and you have a balanced meal!

To lower the fat, you can use less butter when cooking the chicken, although the butter is what adds rich flavor to this chicken piccata dish.

This easy chicken piccata recipe on its own is fairly low-carb, so to keep your meal on the lower-carb side, stick with sides like salad, steamed vegetables, or asparagus.

Need more protein? The easiest way is to increase your portion of chicken breast and serve a side that includes protein, like quinoa. You can also add Greek yogurt to the sauce for a creamier texture and a protein boost.

No matter which way you serve this yummy chicken piccata, be sure to load up your plate with produce!

PICATTA CHICKEN RECIPE FAQS

MORE FLAVORFUL CHICKEN RECIPES

• White Chicken Chili
• Jamaican Jerk Chicken
• Sweet and Sour Chicken
• Almond Crusted Chicken
• Honey Garlic Chicken
• Chicken Jalapeno Popper Casserole

WATCH HOW TO MAKE EASY SKILLET CHICKEN PICCATA