Description
Chicken Piccata with Lemon Sauce is a classic Italian-American dish featuring tender, thinly sliced chicken cutlets pan-fried to golden perfection and served in a zesty lemon and caper sauce. This quick and flavorful recipe combines bright citrus notes with the brininess of capers, making it an ideal main course for a weeknight dinner or special occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (sliced in half horizontally to make 4 thin cutlets)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (for dredging)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided)
Sauce
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- 1/4 cup capers (rinsed and drained)
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Lemon slices for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Season the chicken cutlets with salt and black pepper on both sides. Lightly dredge each cutlet in the all-purpose flour, shaking off any excess to prevent clumping during cooking.
- Cook Chicken: Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken cutlets and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side until they turn golden brown and are cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm while you prepare the sauce.
- Make Sauce Base: Reduce the skillet heat to medium. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn it. Pour in the chicken broth, fresh lemon juice, rinsed capers, and red pepper flakes if using. Allow the sauce to simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan to incorporate that rich flavor.
- Finish Sauce and Combine: Stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter to enrich and slightly thicken the sauce. Return the cooked chicken cutlets to the skillet, spooning the sauce over them. Let the chicken simmer in the sauce for an additional 2 minutes to warm through and absorb the flavors.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle the chopped fresh parsley over the chicken and garnish with lemon slices if desired. Serve immediately alongside pasta, rice, or steamed vegetables for a complete meal.
Notes
- For extra flavor, add a splash of dry white wine when adding the chicken broth for a deeper, more complex sauce.
- You can add a little heavy cream to the sauce before returning the chicken for a creamy version of piccata.
- Using thinly sliced chicken ensures the cutlets cook quickly and evenly; if not pre-sliced, consider pounding the chicken breasts to an even thickness.
- Adjust the red pepper flakes according to your preference for spice or omit altogether for a milder dish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cutlet with sauce
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 7g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
