This is the chicken piccata I make when I want something that tastes like a restaurant put it together — zingy lemon-caper sauce, golden chicken, 30 minutes in one skillet. It’s become one of my most-requested recipes for a reason.

Chicken breasts in a skillet with a lemon-caper sauce, reminiscent of chicken piccata, garnished with parsley and lemon slices. A spoon rests in the sauce, and capers and fresh herbs are sprinkled on top.
Chicken piccata: Golden, pan-seared chicken breasts in a lemon-caper butter sauce, ready in 30 minutes.

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 puckery sauce.

What I learned testing this recipe

Ingredients needed for cooking chicken piccata, including chicken breasts, butter, capers, shallot, halved lemons, flour, and bowls of white wine and broth.
  • 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 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 15-second rinse under cold water is all it takes.

How to make chicken piccata — and get the sauce right

  • Four floured boneless, skinless chicken breasts on a tray.
    3. Dredge the chicken lightly — you should still be able to see the chicken through the flour coating.
  • Four flour-coated chicken breasts cooking in olive oil in a nonstick pan.
    4. The oil should shimmer but not smoke before the chicken goes in. You’ll hear a good sizzle — if not, the pan isn’t hot enough.
  • Four golden-brown, flour-coated chicken breasts cooked in olive oil in a nonstick pan.
    5. Look for a deep golden crust before you flip — if it sticks, it’s not ready.
  • White wine and a wooden spoon in a skillet.
    6. Deglaze with wine and scrape up any browned bits — that’s where the flavor is.
  • Shallots cooking in a skillet with wine and pan sauce.
    7. The shallots should turn translucent and just start to melt.
  • Chicken broth pan sauce with shallots cooking in a skillet.
    8. Reduced by half means the sauce should coat the back of a spoon — about 5 minutes at a lively simmer.
  • Reduced chicken broth in a skillet with grated garlic and black pepper.
    9. Add the garlic now, not earlier — it only needs 30 seconds.
  • Four chicken breasts cooking in a skillet, with a bubbling lemon butter sauce and a spoon on the edge of the pan.
    10. Put the chicken back in the pan and scatter in the butter. Swirling cold butter into the reduced sauce gives piccata its characteristic glossy, emulsified finish.
  • Cooking step for making chicken piccata, showing golden brown boneless chicken breasts in a lemon butter sauce basted with a spoon.
    11. Baste the chicken with the sauce as the butter melts, 2-3 minutes. Add capers and parsley off the heat so they stay bright and don’t muddy the sauce.

What to serve with chicken piccata: Let the sauce decide

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 green, tender broccolini on the side rounds the plate out without competing with the sauce.

Chicken breasts in a pan surrounded by lemon butter sauce, capers, and chopped parsley.
5 from 5 ratings

Easy Chicken Piccata with Lemon Caper Sauce

Karen Tedesco
Golden brown chicken breasts in a tangy lemon caper pan sauce — white wine, butter, capers, chopped shallots — on the table in 30 minutes from one skillet. Serve with buttered herb orzo or mashed potatoes to soak up every drop of sauce.
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Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

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

Equipment

Instructions
 

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Remove the pan from the heat. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons jarred capers 2 tablespoons chopped parsley over the chicken and serve.

Notes

  • 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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