Chicken Piccata

This easy Chicken Piccata recipe is the BEST lemon chicken piccata that’s ready in just 25 minutes! Made with zesty lemon, savoury capers, & a buttery pan sauce that’s absolutely irresistible. It’s the easiest Chicken Piccata you’ll ever make!

 

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

Every now and then there’s a recipe that flies to the top of our must-make list, because it’s just too good to stop making on repeat. This Chicken Piccata recipe is NOT just another one of those run-of-the-mill chicken recipes… it’s lick-the-pan DELICIOUS and it’s quickly become one of our favourite dishes to make for dinner. Like, constantly. Our family loves it with mashed potatoes and a salad on the side, but you could also serve it over pasta, or alongside some roasted or steamed veggies. It’s a classic recipe that absolutely hits the spot, and we know you’re going to love it!

Chicken Piccata is one of those beautifully simple dishes that sounds super fancy, tastes like it’s from a gourmet restaurant, but comes together SO quickly and easily it’s almost unbelievable. It’s a classic Italian-American recipe made with tender chicken breasts that have been seasoned and pan-fried, and then finished off in a tangy, buttery lemon-caper sauce. It’s traditionally served with pasta, but it’s simply divine over mashed potatoes too!

The name piccata in Italian refers to how the chicken is prepared: thin slices of chicken, usually dredged in flour, pan-fried, and served in a sauce of lemon juice, butter, and capers. It’s a brighter, lighter and zestier version of classic creamy chicken dishes.

Our version of Chicken Piccata keeps things super light and fresh, skipping the flour coating on the chicken, and seasoning it well and pan-frying it instead. The chicken stays nice and juicy, and the sauce comes together in no time. It’s the perfect dish when you want something a little more elevated without the extra effort, and it’s guaranteed to impress.

There are a million Chicken Piccata recipes online, but here’s why this ours is a total keeper:

1. It’s FAST and EASY to make: It’s ready in under 30 minutes, but it feels like something you’d order at a fancy trattoria in Florence or Rome. It’s perfect for busy weeknights and it’s also special enough to serve for guests at a dinner party.
2. It’s made with NO FUSS INGREDIENTS: Everything you need is probably already in your pantry or fridge: olive oil, onion, garlic, chicken stock, butter, lemon… the capers might be the only thing you don’t have on hand, unless you’re fancy like that (and you should be!). But they’re available at almost any grocery store.
3. The SAUCE is SO delicious: The real star of this recipe is the silky lemon-caper-butter sauce. It ticks all the boxes – it’s zesty, it’s savoury, and it’s got just the right amount of richness. The cold butter swirled in at the end emulsifies the sauce perfectly and gives it that restaurant-quality finish, AND it’s almost impossible to mess up.
4. It’s FREEZER-FRIENDLY: Make a double batch and freeze half for another easy dinner for later. It keeps like a charm in an airtight container and it’s an absolute gift to your future self on a crazy Tuesday night when you don’t feel like cooking but still want to eat something delicious.

Let us help you take this dish from good to AMAZING with these simple PRO tips!

Pat the chicken breasts dry before seasoning. This helps them brown beautifully and gives you that golden crust without flour or breading.

Slicing each breast in half not only cuts cooking time in half, but it also makes for more even cooking and more sauce-to-chicken ratio in every bite (you’re welcome).

This is pretty much non-negotiable. Bottled lemon juice just doesn’t have the same flavour, and it can give a metallic taste to this dish. Use both the juice and the zest for maximum flavour.

The wine adds so much depth of flavour and helps deglaze the pan for the best and tastiest sauce. If you prefer to skip alcohol, you can sub with extra stock and a splash of white wine vinegar or even apple cider vinegar.

Adding the butter one tablespoon at a time off the heat keeps your sauce creamy and prevents it from breaking. It’s what makes the sauce cling to the chicken so perfectly.

Here are some solutions for the most common hiccups you might run into when you’re making this delicious lemon chicken piccata recipe!

Overcooked chicken is common, and it can become very dry! Use a meat thermometer and pull the chicken when it hits 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees Celsius); it’ll carry over to 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius) as it rests.

Let the sauce simmer just a bit longer before adding the butter. And remember, cold butter is the key for emulsifying and thickening the sauce.

This usually happens when butter is added over too high heat. Turn the heat to medium-low or off completely before whisking in the butter.

Lemons can vary in acidity, so if your sauce is too lemon-y, whisk in a tiny drizzle of honey to balance out the flavours just a bit.

No big deal! Try chopped green olives for a similar flavour, or just go without. They’re not essential, but they do add something special and make this chicken piccata super classic.

Here’s everything you’ll need to have on hand to make this easy chicken piccata recipe (paid links):

• large knife
• Cutting Board
• large skillet
• Tongs
• Instant Read Thermometer
• Microplane Zester
• Whisk

Here’s a list of the ingredients you’ll need to make your own homemade chicken piccata (paid links):

• 3 chicken breasts
• 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon olive oil optional
• 1 white onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons chopped capers
• 1 lemon juice and zest
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 8 tablespoons cold butter
• fresh parsley for garnish

Here are some of our favourite recipes to serve alongside this homemade lemon chicken piccata recipe!

1. Best Mashed Potatoes
2. Air Fryer Broccoli
3. Best Ever Rosemary Focaccia Bread
4. Potato Bread
5. Low Carb Cauliflower Mash

We hope you love this recipe as much as we do! Let us know in the comments below, what’s your favourite easy chicken dish to make on a weeknight? We’d love to know!

• Lemon Chicken
• Grilled Chicken
• Cashew Chicken
• Sesame Orange Chicken
• Easy Chicken Shawarma
• Chicken and Dumplings
• Marry Me Chicken
• Cilantro Lime Chicken
• Chicken Salad
• Chicken Stir Fry
• Baked Chicken Tenders
• Pesto Chicken Bake