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This chicken piccata is made with simple ingredients and cooked until the chicken is tender and the sauce is thick. It tastes just right with a nice hint of lemon, but not too strong.
I love serving it with angel hair pasta and cheesy garlic bread for a complete dinner meal.
WHAT IS CHICKEN PICCATA?
Chicken piccata is a classic Italian dish made with thin slices of sautéed chicken that are coated in a sauce made from lemon juice, capers, and butter.
It’s usually served with vegetables or pasta, but feel free to serve it with whatever side dish you want.
INGREDIENT NOTES
See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and complete instructions.
- Chicken – Thinly sliced chicken breasts are a must for this recipe. If you can’t find thinly sliced chicken breasts at your local supermarket, slice them in half and pound them until they’re about 1/2 inch thick.
- Lemons – I like to use lemon zest and the juice of 1/2 lemon. Avoid bottled lemon juice!
- Shallots – If you don’t have shallots on hand, use regular onions or simply omit them.
- Butter – Use unsalted good quality butter for best results.
- Capers – Optional but add great flavor!
HOW TO MAKE IT
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides and coat in flour. Make sure to shake off any excess flour.
- Add the olive oil and one tablespoon of butter to a large skillet. Once the oil gets hot, this should take about 1 minute. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.
- Add the shallots, garlic, and lemon zest to the same skillet and cook for 20 seconds. Stir in the chicken stock and lemon juice and scrape the bottom of the skillet. Add the capers and remaining butter and swirl the pan around until the sauce thickens. The longer it cooks, the thicker it will become.
- Place the chicken back into the skillet and let it cook for 2-3 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked through. Check for seasoning and garnish with fresh parsley and lemon slices, if desired. Enjoy!
PRO TIPS
- If you want your chicken to have a nice golden color, wait until the butter and olive oil get nice and hot before adding the chicken to the skillet, and make sure to cook it over medium-high heat.
- Don’t overcook the chicken! If using thinly sliced chicken breasts, I recommend cooking it for 2-3 minutes on each side and about 1-2 minutes in the sauce. A total of 8 minutes is perfect. However, I always recommend cooking the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Take the chicken out of the fridge 25-30 minutes before cooking. That way the chicken will cook nice and evenly.
- Season the chicken on both sides for maximum flavor!
CAN I MAKE THIS LOW-CARB?
Yes, absolutely. If you want to make this low-carb or keto-friendly, simply omit the flour.
However, keep in mind that the flour helps thicken the sauce, so your sauce won’t be as thick as it would be if you used flour. Here’s a delicious low carb chicken piccata recipe.
STORAGE
Place any leftovers in an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Simply reheat in the microwave or stovetop until heated through.
Tried this chicken piccata? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. And consider following me on Facebook or Pinterest!
Chicken Piccata
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken breasts , thinly sliced
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- ½ shallot, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 1 cup chicken stock
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides and coat in flour. Make sure to shake off any excess flour.
- Add the olive oil and one tablespoon of butter to a large skillet. Once the oil gets hot, this should take about 1 minute. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.
- Add the shallots, garlic, and lemon zest to the same skillet and cook for 20 seconds. Stir in the chicken stock and lemon juice and scrape the bottom of the skillet. Add the capers and remaining butter and swirl the pan around until the sauce thickens. The longer it cooks, the thicker it will become.
- Place the chicken back into the skillet and let it cook for 2-3 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked through. Check for seasoning and garnish with fresh parsley and lemon slices, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you want your chicken to have a nice golden color, wait until the butter and olive oil get nice and hot before adding the chicken to the skillet, and make sure to cook it over medium-high heat.
- Don’t overcook the chicken! If using thinly sliced chicken breasts, I recommend cooking it for 2-3 minutes on each side and about 1-2 minutes in the sauce. A total of 8 minutes is perfect. However, I always recommend cooking the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Take the chicken out of the fridge 25-30 minutes before cooking. That way the chicken will cook nice and evenly.
- Season the chicken on both sides for maximum flavor!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.