I finally perfected my Lemon Chicken Piccata and I reveal the one unexpected ingredient that keeps the lemon sauce from separating.
I probably say this about every recipe, but my Chicken Piccata With Lemon Sauce might be the one I keep coming back to on nights when I want something that actually tastes like effort. Bright fresh lemon juice gives the sauce a real punch, capers cut through with a briny surprise, and the whole thing reads fancy without looking like you tried too hard.
I call it Easy Lemon Chicken Piccata Damn Delicious because everyone always eats in weird silence then asks for the recipe, which is suspiciously flattering. It feels bold and a little theatrical, not the usual boring weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts: Lean protein, low carb, filling, cooks fast, can dry out if overcooked.
- Lemon juice and zest: Bright sour flavor, adds vitamin C, cuts richness, not sweet.
- Capers: Salty, briny bursts, low calories, give tangy punch, a little floral.
- Unsalted butter: Gives silkiness and richness, mostly fat, boosts flavor but adds calories.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Healthy fats, Mediterranean vibe, helps browning and flavor, not neutral.
- All purpose flour: Light coating for crisping, adds carbs, gives a slight golden crust.
- Dry white wine: Adds acidity and depth, evaporates mostly, subtle fruity notes remain.
- Fresh parsley: Bright herb, freshens the sauce, little vitamins, makes dish look kinda fancy.
Ingredient Quantities
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lb)
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (eg pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc)
- 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp capers, drained
- 2 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
- lemon slices for garnish (optional)
How to Make this
1. Trim and halve or pound 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts to about 1/2 inch thickness so they cook evenly, pat them very dry with paper towels, then season both sides with a little extra salt if you want.
2. Put 1/2 cup all purpose flour in a shallow dish and stir in 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, dredge each chicken piece in the flour shaking off excess, set aside on a plate.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, add 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and 2 tbsp unsalted butter. When the butter foams and the oil shimmers, add chicken in a single layer without crowding (do it in batches if needed) and cook about 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown, then transfer to a warm plate.
4. Lower heat to medium, add the remaining 2 tbsp unsalted butter to the pan, then pour in 1/2 cup dry white wine to deglaze, scraping up the browned bits with a wooden spoon, simmer until the wine is reduced by about half.
5. Stir in 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice and 1 tsp lemon zest, add 2 tbsp capers (drained) and let the sauce simmer gently until it slightly thickens, about 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Return the chicken to the skillet, spoon sauce over each piece and simmer 1 to 2 minutes more to heat through and let flavors marry, check that chicken is cooked through (internal temp about 165°F or no pink inside).
7. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning if needed (remember capers add salt), then stir in 2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley for brightness.
8. Plate the chicken, spoon plenty of lemon sauce over the top, garnish with additional chopped parsley and lemon slices if you like.
9. Tips: don’t overcrowd the pan or the chicken will steam not brown, patting the chicken dry is crucial, use a good dry white wine you’d drink, and if the sauce gets too thin reduce it a little longer or whisk in a tiny knob of butter for shine.
Equipment Needed
1. Cutting board and a sharp chef’s knife (for trimming and halving chicken)
2. Meat mallet or rolling pin (to pound breasts to about 1/2 inch)
3. Paper towels (pat chicken very dry)
4. Shallow dish or pie plate (for the flour dredge)
5. Large skillet, 10 to 12 inch (for browning and finishing the sauce)
6. Tongs or a spatula (to flip and transfer chicken)
7. Wooden spoon (to scrape browned bits while deglazing)
8. Instant read thermometer (check for 165°F to ensure doneness)
9. Measuring cups and spoons plus a microplane zester or small citrus juicer (for lemon juice and zest)
FAQ
Chicken Piccata With Lemon Sauce Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- All purpose flour: swap with cornstarch or a gluten free all purpose flour. Use about the same amount for dredging, cornstarch gives a lighter crisper crust but it wont brown as deeply.
- Dry white wine: replace with 1/2 cup chicken broth plus 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or a squeeze of lemon juice to add acidity without alcohol. Dry vermouth also works 1 to 1 if you have it.
- Capers: use 2 tablespoons chopped green olives or chopped dill pickles for that salty tang, just taste and cut back on added salt if needed.
- Fresh flat leaf parsley: swap with cilantro basil or chives for different flavor notes, cilantro is bright, basil is sweeter, chives add a mild oniony lift.
Pro Tips
1) Pat the chicken super dry and pound the thicker pieces to even thickness. If its wet the meat will steam instead of getting that golden crust, and thats where most of the flavor comes from. Let each piece sit in the hot pan until it releases easily before flipping, dont fidget.
2) Cook in batches so you dont crowd the pan. Crowding drops the temperature and you end up poaching, not browning. Use a heavy skillet, heat the oil until it shimmers and the butter foams, then add the chicken, and if the pan starts smoking turn it down a notch.
3) When you deglaze, reduce the wine until its almost syrupy so the alcohol cooks off and flavors concentrate, scrape up all the browned bits. Taste the sauce before adding salt since capers are salty, and if the sauce needs shine whisk in a few cold cubes of butter off the heat a little at a time.
4) Let the chicken rest a few minutes under a loose tent before serving so the juices redistribute, and finish with fresh parsley and a touch of lemon zest instead of extra juice if you want brightness without making it too acidic. If you dont have wine, extra broth plus a splash of white wine vinegar works ok in a pinch.
Chicken Piccata With Lemon Sauce Recipe
I finally perfected my Lemon Chicken Piccata and I reveal the one unexpected ingredient that keeps the lemon sauce from separating.
4
servings
567
kcal
Equipment: 1. Cutting board and a sharp chef’s knife (for trimming and halving chicken)
2. Meat mallet or rolling pin (to pound breasts to about 1/2 inch)
3. Paper towels (pat chicken very dry)
4. Shallow dish or pie plate (for the flour dredge)
5. Large skillet, 10 to 12 inch (for browning and finishing the sauce)
6. Tongs or a spatula (to flip and transfer chicken)
7. Wooden spoon (to scrape browned bits while deglazing)
8. Instant read thermometer (check for 165°F to ensure doneness)
9. Measuring cups and spoons plus a microplane zester or small citrus juicer (for lemon juice and zest)
Ingredients
-
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lb)
-
1/2 cup all purpose flour
-
1 tsp kosher salt
-
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
-
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
-
4 tbsp unsalted butter
-
1/2 cup dry white wine (eg pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc)
-
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
-
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
-
1 tsp lemon zest
-
2 tbsp capers, drained
-
2 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
-
lemon slices for garnish (optional)
Directions
- Trim and halve or pound 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts to about 1/2 inch thickness so they cook evenly, pat them very dry with paper towels, then season both sides with a little extra salt if you want.
- Put 1/2 cup all purpose flour in a shallow dish and stir in 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, dredge each chicken piece in the flour shaking off excess, set aside on a plate.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, add 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and 2 tbsp unsalted butter. When the butter foams and the oil shimmers, add chicken in a single layer without crowding (do it in batches if needed) and cook about 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown, then transfer to a warm plate.
- Lower heat to medium, add the remaining 2 tbsp unsalted butter to the pan, then pour in 1/2 cup dry white wine to deglaze, scraping up the browned bits with a wooden spoon, simmer until the wine is reduced by about half.
- Stir in 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice and 1 tsp lemon zest, add 2 tbsp capers (drained) and let the sauce simmer gently until it slightly thickens, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Return the chicken to the skillet, spoon sauce over each piece and simmer 1 to 2 minutes more to heat through and let flavors marry, check that chicken is cooked through (internal temp about 165°F or no pink inside).
- Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning if needed (remember capers add salt), then stir in 2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley for brightness.
- Plate the chicken, spoon plenty of lemon sauce over the top, garnish with additional chopped parsley and lemon slices if you like.
- Tips: don’t overcrowd the pan or the chicken will steam not brown, patting the chicken dry is crucial, use a good dry white wine you’d drink, and if the sauce gets too thin reduce it a little longer or whisk in a tiny knob of butter for shine.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 240g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 567kcal
- Fat: 31.4g
- Saturated Fat: 8.4g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Polyunsaturated: 1.5g
- Monounsaturated: 8g
- Cholesterol: 175mg
- Sodium: 611mg
- Potassium: 470mg
- Carbohydrates: 13.5g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Sugar: 2g
- Protein: 53g
- Vitamin A: 750IU
- Vitamin C: 6mg
- Calcium: 38mg
- Iron: 2.2mg