Simply amazing Chicken Piccata, made in 20 minutes! Browned chicken is topped with sauce made from butter, lemon juice, capers, chicken stock and wine. Serve with butter noodles or a fresh green salad for a quick weeknight dinner.

Chicken piccata served over butter noodles with lemon slices.

Have made this recipe many times. Easy, delicious, quick meal. Made exactly as written served with mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach. Tastes like it came from a fine restaurant.

— Jane

If you love tasty chicken recipes, then this is hands down for you. Like our healthy orange chicken, it’s easy to make with simple ingredients and is incredibly delicious. From the fresh lemon flavor to the tender perfectly cooked chicken cutlets, to the rich buttery sauce, this dish is a guaranteed people pleaser.

Why you should make this recipe

  • Fast and easy. Pan-seared chicken with lemon butter sauce is super simple to make, ready in less than 30 minutes and can all be done in one pan for less mess and quick cleanup. 
  • Family-friendly. All ages LOVE this flavorful recipe. Kids and adults always come back for seconds!
  • Incredibly delicious. This meal is perfect for date night or if you’re serving guests! It’s definitely impressive and delivers on both taste and presentation.
Chicken cutlets served over pasta.

Ingredients needed

Enjoy restaurant-quality chicken piccata with basic ingredients and less than 30 minutes of your time. Here are some notes about the key ingredients:

  • Chicken. Skinless, boneless chicken breast cutlets are the best cut to use for this recipe. 
  • Flour. All purpose flour helps the chicken brown fast without overcooking. It also helps thicken the sauce. If you need a gluten-free option, replace flour with cornstarch.
  • Lemon juice. Use fresh lemon juice for the best taste. And if you really want to intensify the lemon flavor, you can add some lemon zest into the sauce.
  • Chicken stock. Along with the white wine it creates the sauce. You can sub with chicken broth, if that’s what you have available.
  • White wine. A dry white wine will work great and bring a depth of flavor to the dish. Try Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.
  • Capers. A key ingredient in this recipe, they’ll give the dish a more lemony, oily and salty flavor.
Dredging chicken in flour.

How to make this recipe

  • Heat the pan. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and olive oil to a nonstick large skillet over medium heat.
  • Dredge the chicken. In a shallow bowl, mix flour, salt and pepper. Dredge each chicken cutlet in the flour mixture and add it to the hot pan.
  • Cook. Let chicken cook for 3 minutes on each side, until browned and fully cooked. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
  • Make the sauce. In the hot pan used to brown the chicken, whisk in remaining butter, lemon juice, chicken stock, and white wine. Add in capers, parsley, and chicken pieces.
  • Serve. Plate chicken with excess piccata sauce poured over the top and garnish with lemon wedges or slices, alongside your favorite pasta or salad.

Expert tips

  • Chicken. This dish works best with either chicken cutlets or thinly sliced chicken breasts. You can buy chicken breasts that are already cut thin, or you can make your own by slicing thicker chicken breasts in half lengthwise.
  • Wine. Cooking wine can come off as strongly salty, while regular white wine brings a depth of flavor to the dish. We recommend wine for the best flavor, but you can sub with additional chicken stock or broth, if preferred.
  • Cooking. Make sure to cook the sauce in the same pan as you cook the chicken and scrape all those delicious brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. That’s where all the flavor is, so you want to make sure you scrape really well.
  • Other options. If you’d like to make a creamy sauce, feel free to add in about 1/2 cup heavy cream to the sauce before adding the chicken back. And if you’re a garlic lover, throw in one or two minced garlic cloves.

Frequently asked questions

What is chicken piccata sauce made of?

It’s pan-fried chicken in a lemony sauce, which is a combination of butter, oil, fresh lemon juice, chicken stock, white wine and capers.

What does piccata mean in a recipe?

Piccata is an Italian word and when used in a reference to a way of preparing food (particularly meat or fish) it means sliced and sautéed in a sauce containing lemon, butter, and wine.

Is chicken piccata actually Italian?

Although it has Italian roots, it never became a popular meal in Italy. However, it became a very popular Italian-American dish served in restaurants across America, even though you probably wouldn’t find it at a restaurant in Italy.

Serving suggestions

Chicken piccata is usually served over pasta, but it can be served with other side dishes to complete an easy meal. Here’s some options:

  • Pasta. To continue the fast and easy pattern use a fast cooking pasta like angel hair or linguine. Both of these pasta types also hold the sauce super well.
  • Rice. Plain white rice or brown rice goes well with this dish.
  • Potatoes. This saucy chicken is so good served over mashed potatoes.
  • Zoodles. For a low carb, lighter choice, serve it over zucchini noodles.
  • Bread. You can’t go wrong with bread to sop up all of the delicious sauce. Grab a fresh loaf at your grocery store bakery or pop some rolls in the oven.

Storage recommendations

  • Leftovers. Store any cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. 
  • Freezing. To freeze, place in an airtight container, then transfer to the freezer. It should last for 3 months. 
  • Reheating. When ready to serve, allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge before popping it in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes. Alternatively, you could heat it up in a skillet.
Chicken piccata served on white platter.

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. It’s so fun to see what you’re cooking! Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.

Chicken piccata served over butter noodles with lemon slices.
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Chicken Piccata

Simply amazing Chicken Piccata, made in 20 minutes! Browned is chicken topped with sauce made from butter, lemon juice, capers, chicken stock and wine.
Author: Kim

Ingredients

  • 5 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound chicken cutlets, about 4
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • salt & pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
  • 1/2 cup white wine, or additional stock/broth
  • 1-2 tablespoon capers, drained
  • 2 tablespoons flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped

Instructions 

  • Heat 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat.
  • Stir flour, salt, and pepper together in a shallow dish. Dredge each chicken cutlet in flour mixture and add to the hot pan. Cook chicken, about 3 minutes each side until browned and fully cooked. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
  • In the hot pan, whisk in remaining butter, lemon juice, chicken stock, and white wine to create the sauce. Add in capers, parsley, and chicken pieces.
  • Serve chicken with the piccata sauce poured over the top of the pan-fried chicken with lemon slices or wedges, alongside your favorite pasta or salad.

Notes

  • Leftovers. Store any cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. 
  • Freezing. To freeze, place in an airtight container, then transfer to the freezer. It should last for 3 months. 
  • Reheating. When ready to serve, allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge before popping it in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes. Alternatively, you could heat it up in a skillet.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 392kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 27g, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 111mg, Sodium: 291mg, Potassium: 503mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 641IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 18mg, Iron: 2mg

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