Chicken Piccata

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This chicken piccata is a classic Italian-American skillet dinner — thin, golden-crusted chicken cutlets in a bright lemon butter sauce with capers and fresh parsley. It’s fast, elegant, and comes together in just 25 minutes.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian-American

Keyword: chicken piccata, lemon butter chicken, lemon caper chicken, piccata sauce

Servings: servings

Calories: 289kcal

Ingredients

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or 4 chicken cutlets
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
⅓ cup all-purpose flour for dredging
3 tablespoons butter divided
2 garlic cloves minced
¼ cup dry white wine or substitute with additional chicken broth
¾ cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice about 1 large lemon
2 tablespoons capers drained
2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Use 4 store-bought chicken cutlets, or slice 2 large chicken breasts in half horizontally to create 4 thin cutlets. Season with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour, shaking off the excess.
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or 4 chicken cutlets, ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Sear the cutlets for 3–4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Work in batches if needed. Transfer to a plate and pour off most of the excess oil from the pan.
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1.01 tablespoons butter
Lower the heat to medium-low and let the pan cool slightly. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the wine and scrape up any browned bits. Let it cook until mostly evaporated, about 1–2 minutes.
2 garlic cloves, ¼ cup dry white wine
Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, and capers. Simmer for 3–4 minutes until slightly reduced. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter until glossy.
¾ cup chicken broth, 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons capers, 2 tablespoons butter
Return the chicken to the pan, spoon the sauce over, and sprinkle with parsley. Serve over pasta, with mashed potatoes, or alongside your favorite sides.
2 tablespoons fresh parsley

Notes

Wine-free version: Use 1 cup chicken broth total instead of the wine and broth combination.
Excess oil: Pour off any excess oil from the pan after searing the chicken. This keeps the sauce from being greasy.
Butter emulsion: Swirl the final butter in off the heat so the sauce emulsifies into a glossy, silky finish.
Don’t overcook the chicken: Thin cutlets cook fast — pull them as soon as they’re golden and cooked through.
Creamy variation: Stir in 2–3 tablespoons of heavy cream along with the broth for a creamy chicken piccata.

Nutrition