Chicken Piccata in a Bright Lemon Caper Sauce

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Make a classic chicken piccata recipe and have dinner on the table in about 30 minutes — this is a low-stress, high-reward stovetop recipe that cooks in one skillet. It’s all about golden brown, pan-seared chicken breasts in a bright, tangy pan sauce balanced with white wine, butter, capers, chopped shallots, and plenty of fresh lemon juice.

I grew up enjoying a traditional piccata made with delicately sliced veal cutlets. They were served in a rich, but light-tasting buttery sauce laced with that juicy pop of lemon and white wine. These days, I use chicken because it’s a mild-tasting protein that pairs really well with the zingy sauce.

Chicken piccata is saucy enough that you’ll want something on the plate to soak it up. I love it with buttered herb orzo — it practically drinks up the lemon butter sauce. Olive oil mashed potatoes are another great option, especially if you’re feeding a crowd. A simple green salad or steamed broccolini on the side rounds the plate out without competing with the sauce.

What I learned testing this recipe

• Chicken breasts: The main ingredient of this easy chicken piccata are quick-cooking boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into cutlets, a/k/a thinly cut “scaloppine.” They cook quickly and evenly without needing to be pounded. To cut down on prep time you can buy prepared chicken cutlets at the grocery store — just check the thickness, since store-bought cutlets vary and anything over half an inch won’t cook through quickly. You can do this yourself — my tutorial shows exactly how to butterfly a chicken breast into cutlets.
• White wine: To add another layer of tangy acidity to the piccata sauce recipe along with fresh lemon juice, I use white wine to deglaze the pan after pan-frying the floured chicken breasts. Choose a dry wine you enjoy sipping, such as pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc. If you don’t cook with wine, substitute the ¼ cup with extra chicken broth plus a small splash of white wine vinegar. The sauce will be slightly less complex but still very good.
• Capers: For the best-tasting lemon caper chicken, I like to use capers packed in vinegar brine, making sure they’re rinsed and drained well. Don’t skip the rinsing step — I learned this the hard way! Straight from the jar, brine-packed capers are sharp enough to make the whole sauce taste sour and one-note, completely overwhelming the lemon-butter balance. A 30-second rinse under cold water is all it takes.

How to make lemon piccata sauce

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Classic Chicken Piccata with Lemon Butter Caper Sauce

Karen Tedesco

Classic chicken piccata, on the table in 30 minutes — a low-stress, high-reward stovetop dinner that cooks in one skillet. Golden brown, pan-fried chicken breasts simmer in a bright, tangy lemon piccata sauce with white wine, butter, capers and chopped shallots. Serve with buttered herb orzo or mashed potatoes for a meal that tastes like a restaurant made it.

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5 from 5 ratings

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Chicken

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4 servings

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

12-inch saute pan

Recipe Video

Ingredients

• ▢ 4 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 1 ½ pounds
• ▢ Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ ⅔ cup all-purpose flour, or a gluten-free all-purpose blend
• ▢ 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ ¼ cup (60 ml) dry white wine
• ▢ ¼ cup finely chopped shallot, about 1 shallot
• ▢ 1 cup (240 ml) chicken broth
• ▢ 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
• ▢ 3 tablespoons (45 ml) fresh lemon juice
• ▢ 3 tablespoons (42 g) butter, sliced into large pieces
• ▢ 2 tablespoons jarred capers, rinsed and drained
• ▢ 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

US Customary – Metric

Instructions 

• Holding a sharp chef's knife parallel to the cutting surface, slice each breast in half through the middle to make eight pieces. Season the chicken generously on both sides with about 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste. Note: You skip this and can proceed to step 2 if you already have 8 prepped cutlets.
• Spread ⅔ cup all-purpose flour on a large plate or pie dish. Dredge the chicken in the flour, patting off any excess. Discard the remaining flour.
• Heat 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil begins to shimmer (don't let it smoke), add the chicken breasts to the pan. Cook on one side until golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Flip the chicken over and cook another minute. Remove the chicken to a plate with a pair of tongs or a spatula.
• Pour in ¼ cup dry white wine and cook about 2 minutes, until it's almost completely evaporated. Stir in ¼ cup finely chopped shallot and cook until they're softened, 1-2 minutes. Add 1 cup chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes or so, until the broth is reduced by half.
• Stir in 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic, 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, ½ teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste. Return the chicken to the pan, along with all the juices that have accumulated on the plate, and bring the sauce back to a lively simmer. Scatter 3 tablespoons butter into the pan. Use a spoon to baste the chicken with the sauce and melting butter, cooking another 2-3 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
• Remove the pan from the heat. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons jarred capers 2 tablespoons chopped parsley over the chicken and serve.

Karen’s Notes and Tips

• If your chicken breasts are heftier than 6 ounces each, you’ll only need two of them for four servings.
• When doubling the recipe, brown the chicken in batches to avoid crowding the pan.
• The chicken can be made up to 3 days ahead. Reheat with the sauce in a covered skillet over medium-low heat until warmed through.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 386kcal Carbohydrates: 32g Protein: 29g Fat: 14g Sodium: 478mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 4g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

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Hey, I’m Karen

Creator of Familystyle Food

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I’m a food obsessed super-taster and professionally trained cook ALL about creating elevated dinners with everyday ingredients. Find simplified recipes made from scratch and enjoy incredibly tasty food! Read more about me here.