This delicious chicken piccata recipe features fresh lemon juice, capers, and white wine. It’s an easy recipe to prepare and cook. Chicken cutlets are dredged in seasoned flour and sautéed in butter. Chicken stock, lemon juice, and capers magically transform the drippings from the chicken into a fabulous tart lemony sauce.
Fix this easy dish for an easy weeknight meal or make it for a dinner party. The chicken cooks quickly in 2 batches and the sauce mixture needs only a few minutes to reduce. Serve the chicken with a light spaghetti angel hair pasta dish, rice, or mashed potatoes. Spinach goes nicely with the lemony chicken, or complete the meal with a Caesar salad.
What is Chicken Piccata?
A classic Italian-American dish, it features tender chicken breasts and a savory lemon butter sauce. Wine and capers add extra flavor and complexity to the dish.
Similar Recipes
This lemon pepper chicken is another lemony chicken breast dish, and it’s quick and easy! Or you might like these lemon garlic chicken thighs.
How to Store
Transfer cooled leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate. The chicken will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
PrintChicken Piccata
Chicken piccata is a bright and flavorful dish that’s always a hit!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 6 chicken cutlets, tenders, or 6 small boneless chicken breasts (2 pounds)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- Dash freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup flour
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons drained capers
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 200 F. This is to keep the chicken warm as you make the sauce.
- Sprinkle the chicken cutlets on all sides with salt and pepper. If using small chicken breasts pound them gently between sheets of plastic until 1/4-inch thick.
- Put the flour in a small bowl or plate and dredge the chicken, coating all sides.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy skillet. When the oil is hot and shimmering but not smoking, add 3 of the chicken cutlets and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove to an oven-safe platter or pan and place in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining olive oil and chicken cutlets.
- Pour off any excess oil but don’t wipe the skillet. Add the wine to the skillet and place it back over medium heat. Cook, scraping up any browned bits, for 1 to 2 minutes or until it has reduced to a tablespoon or two. Add the chicken stock, lemon juice, and capers and bring to a simmer. Cook until the sauce is reduced and flavors are concentrated. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter, stirring until it has melted and thickened the sauce a bit. Add the parsley and spoon the sauce over the chicken.
- Serve hot with pasta or mashed potatoes.
