Easy Chicken Piccata (Ready in 20 Minutes)
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Tender, buttery and full of lemon, this easy chicken piccata has juicy pan-fried chicken with plenty of capers for a salty, tangy finish. It cooks in 30 minutes, and I usually serve it with pasta, potatoes or greens. I particularly like pairing the piccata chicken with my Simple Spaghetti al Limone for a restaurant-style dinner at home.
Why you’ll love this recipe
You can put together this chicken piccata recipe quickly in one pan, and it tastes great even on nights when you do not feel like cooking much. Here’s why you’ll love it:
- Zesty Flavor: Lemon, garlic and capers add the brightness you expect from a chicken piccata. That balance works so well with carbs like The CRISPIEST Roast Potatoes.
- Easy to Make: Everything cooks fast in the same pan, so I love not having to deal with a pile of washing up later. It’s perfect for when I want something rich and tangy, like a chicken piccata, that feels a touch indulgent when you’re tired.
- Versatile: Serve this easy chicken piccata with pasta, rice, greens or crusty bread to soak up the sauce, similar to leftovers from my delicious air fryer cod recipe.
Consider making Creamy Salmon Pasta, Vegetable Paella, or Spanish Chilli and Garlic Prawns with leftover lemons or parsley.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
These three ingredients really make this recipe shine:
- Chicken breast: Pounding the chicken helps everything cook evenly and stay juicy in this easy chicken piccata, which I also do in these Easy Sauteed Chicken Breasts.
- Fresh lemon: Lemon cuts through the butter and gives you that classic tang that makes a piccata taste so fresh. A bit of zest adds aroma, which is something I also enjoy in my Easy Creamy Lemon Sauce.
- Capers: Capers add a saltiness that cuts through the butter in the best chicken piccata recipe. I like using finely diced green olives for a similar flavour when out of capers.
See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and quantities.
Variations/ Adaptations
Feel free to tweak this easy chicken piccata depending on what you want.
- Use white wine: Add a splash of dry white wine to the sauce as it cooks down for extra flavour. I omitted this to keep the costs down.
- Make it creamy: Stir in a small spoon of crème fraîche or cream at the end to soften the acidity, which gives you a richer sauce. I do this sometimes when serving with pasta, similar to the texture you see in my Easy Creme Fraiche Pasta.
- Use chicken thighs: Boneless thighs are juicier and have a richer flavour compared to chicken breasts. They follow the same cooking steps, and the results land close to my Lebanese Inspired Chicken Pilaf in terms of texture.
How to make Easy Chicken Piccata
Step 1: Pound the chicken until it’s about 1 inch thick, then season both sides with salt and pepper.
Step 2: Lightly coat the chicken all over in flour, shaking off any excess.
Step 3: Heat a stainless steel or cast iron pan over medium-high with a little olive oil, then add the chicken in batches.
Step 4: Cook the chicken for about 2 minutes per side until lightly golden, then set aside on a plate.
Step 5: Add half of the butter and the garlic to the same pan, scraping up the browned bits for extra flavour.
Step 6: Stir through the red pepper flakes and capers, letting everything sizzle for a minute.
Step 7: Pour in the chicken broth and onion granules, then add the remaining butter. Stir to emulsify into a glossy sauce and squeeze in the juice of half a lemon.
Step 8: Return the chicken to the pan and simmer for a couple of minutes so it absorbs the sauce. Turn off the heat once everything looks glossy and thick.
To use leftover chicken breasts, consider making Tender Thin Sliced Chicken Breast in Oven, TENDER Cast Iron Chicken Breast or learn How to Make Shredded Chicken.
Tips for the best result
- Preheat your pan fully before adding oil which helps prevent sticking when cooking an easy chicken piccata. This trick is helpful when making my Creamy Tarragon Chicken as well.
- Adjust the lemon juice to taste because some people enjoy using the juice of a whole lemon, but half works well as the capers already add tang to this dish.
- For perfectly cooked chicken, check that the internal temperature reads 75°C (165°F).
- Remove any seeds from the lemon slices because they can taste bitter.
Serving Suggestions
A good recipe for chicken piccata works well with simple sides since the sauce is so flavourful, a bit like how lemon chicken picatta can sit next to whatever carb you have ready to go.
Try serving with:
Leftover Storage and Reheat Instructions
This simple chicken piccata keeps well and makes easy lunches through the week.
Refrigerator: Allow to cool completely, then store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If you are prepping ahead, store the chicken and sauce separately and combine when reheating.
Freezer: Freezing is another option, but keep in mind that the lemon butter can separate slightly. Warm it slowly to bring it back together.
Reheat: Warm the easy chicken piccata in a covered pan on low with a splash of broth or water to loosen the sauce which keeps the piccata sauce silky.
What is Chicken Piccata?
Chicken piccata is a simple Italian dish made with thin chicken cutlets, lemon, salty capers and a buttery pan sauce. The word piccata means “pounded fla,” which helps the chicken cook quickly and stay juicy. This easy chicken piccata is bright and balanced rather than heavy.
Most versions use chicken breasts, but veal or fish works too. I stick with chicken because it’s forgiving and easy to cook. The dish is all about the contrast of the buttery sauce with the sharp lemon, with capers giving that classic lemon caper sauce flavour.
Recipes vary a bit. Some add white wine, some skip it for chicken piccata without wine. Some thicken the sauce with flour, others just reduce it until glossy. You could even make a creamy chicken piccata by stirring in a little cream. There isn’t one right version. As long as it’s buttery, tangy and quick to cook, it’s easy weeknight chicken piccata done right.
Why do I need to pound chicken to keep it tender?
Flattening the chicken makes it cook evenly and stay tender. We get a bit of golden crust on the outside while keeping the inside juicy, which is exactly what makes this weeknight version work so well.
Do I need to flour chicken for piccata?
A tiny coating of flour helps the sauce stick and gives it a subtle texture. Use just enough so that each piece of chicken is evenly coated. Don’t make it thick or pasty.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, finely diced green olives add a similar salty, briny flavour, and doing this makes this chicken piccata recipe easy because olives are more likely already in your fridge.
Stir in a small spoon of crème fraîche or cream at the end which softens the lemon and gives a richer sauce without making it heavy.
Yes, low sodium stock works well and gives you more control over the salt level, especially since capers already add plenty of saltiness to an easy chicken piccata.
If you prefer not to use wine, chicken stock is a simple swap and keeps the lemon chicken picatta sauce balanced and bright.
Craving more comfort food? Make my Easy Ragu Bianco (White Ragu), Delicious Marry Me Shrimp Pasta, or Easy Chicken Spaghetti {with a Twist!}.
If you tried this Easy Chicken Piccata, it would mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
Easy Chicken Piccata
Ingredients
- 600 g chicken breast, halved horizontally
- 1-2 lemons (juice of half plus wedges to serve)
- 4 tbsp capers
- 6 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
- 75 g cold butter, sliced into cubes
- Handful of chopped parsley, chopped to serve
Cupboard essentials
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 tsp onion granules
- 300 ml chicken broth
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
Method
- Pound the chicken to a thickness of 1 inch. Season with salt and pepper, then coat in flour.
- Preheat a cast-iron or stainless steel pan over a medium-high heat, then add olive oil to coat the base of the pan.
- In batches, fry the chicken for 2 minutes on each side. Set aside once cooked and golden brown.
- Add half of the butter into the pan along with the garlic and scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Also, add the red pepper flakes at this stage.
- Pour the chicken broth, capers and onion granules into the pan. Stir to combine, add the remaining half of the butter and stir to emulsify. Add the juice of half a lemon.
- Place the chicken back into the pan and heat for a couple of minutes, then turn off the heat. The sauce should have thickened nicely. Spoon the sauce over the chicken to absorb the flavour and top with thinly sliced lemons, parsley and lots of black pepper.
Notes
- Preheat your pan fully before adding oil which helps prevent sticking.
- Adjust the lemon juice to taste.
- For perfectly cooked chicken, check that the internal temperature reads 75°C (165°F).
- Remove any seeds from the lemon slices because they can taste bitter.
Nutrition
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