Easy Lemon Chicken Piccata

Lemon Chicken Piccata is a classic Italian dish made with a creamy lemon butter sauce and then topped with salty capers.  This healthy and easy chicken breast recipe can be served over a bed of pasta or eaten on it’s own for a gluten-free and low-carb main dish recipe.

Want a few other easy chicken breast recipes?  You might also enjoy this Honey Mustard Baked Chicken and this Balsamic Glazed Chicken.

Lemon Chicken Piccata – Healthy Main Dish

With Spring just around the corner our house has been exploding with all things lemon!

From Garlic Roasted Asparagus as a fancy side dish to this Chicken Piccata as a main dish…

There are so many healthy and easy ways to enjoy lemon in your savory recipes.

Yup, lemon goes BEYOND just those sweet desserts you know and love!

Easy Chicken Breast Recipe

Recently I had a few girlfriends over for a wine and painting night.  (SO, SO much fun!!)

On these nights I always like to test out a few new recipes.  And this time, lemon chicken piccata was on the menu.

Normally I gauge how much people like the recipes by how silent we get while eating.

Let’s just say you could have heard a paintbrush drop!

The acidic bite from the lemon juice,

the juicy and tender chicken,

lick-your-plate worthy buttery sauce,

and saltiness of the capers…

Makes this main dish one that is absolutely worthy of your next dinner party or girls night in!

What is Chicken Piccata?

Before we dive into the ingredients and instructions, what exactly IS chicken piccata?

If you’ve ever been to Olive Garden, or maybe you’ve watched Giada or the Barefoot Contessa on TV, you have probably heard of this classic Italian dish.

Chicken Piccata consists of chicken that is pounded thin, dredged in flour, and then cooked in a skillet with a lemon butter sauce.  Unlike Chicken Francaise, piccata dishes are finished with salty capers and do not use an egg in the battering process.

This easy chicken breast recipe can either be served on it’s own for a low-carb option, or plated with a side of pasta, rice, or risotto.

Ingredients

There are only a few simple ingredients that you will need for this chicken piccata recipe.

• Chicken – Chicken breasts are pounded to 1-inch thick and then cut into 4-ounce portions.
• Flour – A gluten-free 1-to-1 flour blend was used during testing, but a regular all purpose blend can also be used.
• Butter – Since this is a key ingredient in the sauce, opt for a higher-quality brand for the best results.
  • Feel free to substitute a vegan “butter” if you are dairy-free.
• Lemon – Fresh lemon juice is crucial in this recipe.  I do not recommend buying the pre-packaged lemon juice as it tends to have a more acidic taste than freshly squeezed lemon juice.
• Garlic – Once again, opt for fresh garlic cloves and not garlic powder.  You can either crush the garlic with a garlic press or finely mince it.
• Broth – A regular sodium chicken broth is recommended, but a low sodium broth may be substituted if you’re limiting your salt intake.
• Capers – Arguably the star of the show.  Right at the end of cooking, capers are mixed in for a salty bite only this cute green berry can deliver.

Preparing the Chicken

Before you get started cooking up this dish, you’ll first want to prepare the chicken.

A very important step in getting juicy and tender chicken is to tenderize the meat using a meat mallet.

Do not skip this step!

Not only does it break apart the tough fibers, but it also makes the chicken portions a similar thickness and size so they cook at the same rate.

After you have pounded the chicken breasts to less than 1-inch thick, cut them into 4-ounce portions if they are not already.

Cook’s Tip: Butcher Box has the best organic chicken breasts!

How to Make

Making this lemon chicken piccata is much like any other breaded chicken breast recipe you have previously made.  It does take an extra bowl to dredge the chicken in, but it’s totally worth it!

Dredging the Chicken:

1. Whisk together flour, salt, and black pepper.

2. Dredge each chicken breast in the flour mixture, liberally coating all sides.

Cooking & Making the Sauce:

1. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to a large skillet over medium heat.  Wait for the butter to sizzle before adding the coated chicken breasts.

2. Cook chicken for 4-5 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

3. Remove chicken from the skillet and add remaining butter and garlic cloves.  Saute for 1-2 minutes, or until garlic becomes fragrant.

4. Pour in lemon juice and broth.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes, whisking ever 20-30 seconds.

5. Add chicken back into the skillet and continue whisking sauce for 2 minutes.

6. Top chicken with capers just before serving.

Serving

Often you will find chicken piccata served either over a bed of penne, linguine, or spaghetti pasta.

I’ve also found it tastes delicious when paired with steamed rice or a serving of risotto.

But what other healthy vegetables can you serve with it?

This roasted asparagus and these smashed Brussels sprouts would taste great on the side!

Storing

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.

You can also freeze this dish in a freezer-safe container for up to 3-4 months.

On a low-carb diet?  You might also want to check out this Keto Chicken Piccata!

4.8 from 5 votes

Easy Lemon Chicken Piccata

Lemon Chicken Piccata is a classic Italian dish made with a creamy lemon butter sauce and then topped with salty capers.  This healthy and easy chicken breast recipe can be served over a bed of pasta or eaten on it's own for a gluten-free and low-carb main dish recipe.

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Course Dinner, main dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword chicken piccata, lemon chicken piccata

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 290 kcal

London Brazil

Ingredients

• 1 lb. chicken breasts
• ¼ cup flour gluten-free 1-to-1
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. black pepper
• 5 Tbsp. butter
• ¼ cup lemon juice fresh
• ½ - ⅔ cup chicken broth
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• ¼ cup capers
• ¼ tsp. salt optional

Instructions

1. Using a meat mallet, pound chicken breasts to 1-inch thick. Cut into 4-ounce portions.

2. Whisk together flour, ½ teaspoon salt, and black pepper in a medium-sized shallow bowl.

3. Dip each chicken breast into the flour mixture, liberally coating all sides.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to a large skillet over medium heat. Wait for the butter to sizzle and add coated chicken breasts.
5. Cook chicken for 4-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown.
6. Remove chicken from the skillet and add remaining butter and garlic cloves. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, or until garlic becomes fragrant.
7. Pour in lemon juice and broth. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes, whisking ever 20-30 seconds.
8. Once the sauce begins to thicken add chicken, and optional ¼ teaspoon salt, back into the skillet and continue whisking sauce for 2 minutes.
9. Top chicken with capers just before serving with pasta or rice. Enjoy!

Recipe Video

Nutrition Facts

Easy Lemon Chicken Piccata

Amount Per Serving

Calories 290 Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Fat 18g28%

Saturated Fat 10g63%

Cholesterol 112mg37%

Sodium 1032mg45%

Potassium 459mg13%

Carbohydrates 6g2%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 25g50%

Vitamin A 511IU10%

Vitamin C 10mg12%

Calcium 21mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.