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This easy chicken piccata recipe is a classic Italian American dish with a lemon butter caper sauce that’s fast to make at home! A few simple ingredients, 25 minutes, and you’re set.

Craving more restaurant-quality chicken dinners? Try my Easy Chicken Madeira!

close-up of chicken piccata in a cast iron skillet

What is chicken piccata?

It’s pan-fried chicken in a piccata sauce, which is a combination of butter, oil, fresh lemon juice, and capers. Simple, right? The secret to making the best chicken piccata is having the perfect amount of lemon, and I’ve got you covered with this really easy chicken recipe.

You can make this dreamy dish two different ways, and we’ve got instructions for both! One is a creamy chicken piccata, and the other is not. They’re both extremely tasty. The cream takes it to the next level, but depending on your mood or dietary restrictions, you may want to try it without!

What you’ll need

  • Chicken – we’re slicing chicken breasts in half lengthwise and not pounding them so it’s even faster
  • Garlic powder – along with salt & pepper, seasoning the cutlets with it gives a fabulous savory foundation
  • Flour – for dredging
  • Olive oil and butter – for pan-frying the chicken until golden brown
  • Chicken broth – to infuse the sauce with flavor. Sub for a dry white wine like pinot grigio to make it even more luxurious.
  • Lemon juice – always use freshly squeezed lemon juice vs concentrate
  • Lemon zest – for that extra brightness and zing
  • Capers – the briny flavor balances the lemon
  • Heavy cream – to make the sauce rich
  • Parsley – adds a pop of freshness
ingredients in small bowls on a marble surface for chicken piccata

Can I make it without cream?

  • You can definitely make chicken piccata without cream! If you do so, increase the chicken broth to 3/4 cup. You could even do a half chicken broth/half white wine mix.
  • I don’t recommend subbing the cream for something like milk or half-and-half for a couple of reasons. The acidity of the lemon will likely curdle the sauce, and the sauce won’t thicken as well. Either omit it completely or use heavy cream. 

How to make chicken piccata

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

pan frying chicken and then sauteing aromatics for the chicken piccata sauce in a skillet

Cut chicken breasts in half lengthwise to make thinner cutlets. Sprinkle them with salt & pepper and garlic powder, then dredge them in the flour. Brown on both sides. Remove them from the pan and add the chicken broth, lemon juice, butter, and capers, scraping up the brown bits.

adding cream to the sauce in a skillet and then putting the chicken back in

Stir in the cream. Return the chicken to the pan, and simmer until the sauce has reduced and the chicken is cooked through. Easy peasy!

Tools for this recipe

Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!

Substitutions and variations

  • If using small chicken breasts, you can keep them intact, but they may take a few more minutes to cook through.
  • You can try using chicken thighs if you prefer. They may take a little longer to cook as well. 
  • I find the recipe is perfectly salted with regular chicken broth, but if you’re at all sensitive to salt, use a low-sodium one.

What to serve with chicken piccata

Leftovers and storage

  • Leftovers will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge. Reheat in a saucepan over a low heat.
  • I don’t recommend freezing this recipe, especially if you’re making the creamy version.
close-up of a plate with chicken piccata, green beans, and mashed potatoes with sauce

Have you made this lemon chicken piccata? Got questions? Let me know in the comments below! As always, tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram so I can see your creations.

close-up of chicken piccata in a cast iron skillet
4.93 from 352 votes

Easy Chicken Piccata

This easy chicken piccata recipe is a classic Italian American dish with a lemon butter caper sauce that's fast to make at home!
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients 

  • 2 large chicken breasts
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Flour (for dredging)
  • 4 tablespoons butter divided
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 cup chicken broth or dry white wine
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice + zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon brined capers drained
  • 1/2 cup heavy/whipping cream
  • Garnish (optional) chopped parsley and/or freshly grated parmesan cheese

Instructions 

  • Slice the chicken breasts lengthwise (I butterfly then cut in half) to make 4 thinner cutlets. Trim off any fat. Season the chicken generously with salt & pepper and sprinkle with garlic powder. Coat the chicken in flour.
  • Add 2 tablespoons of the butter plus the olive oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. 
  • Once the pan is hot, cook the chicken pieces for about 4-5 minutes per side until golden. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
  • Take the pan off the heat and add the chicken broth, lemon juice, lemon zest, remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, and capers to the skillet. Scrape up any browned bits.
  • Stir in the cream and return the pan to the heat. Once it's bubbling again, add the chicken back into the pan. If you want to make this recipe without cream, increase the chicken broth to 3/4 cup.
  • Cook for another 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has reduced to your liking (you may need to turn down the heat a bit if it's bubbling furiously). If the sauce thickens too much, add more broth.
  • Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and/or parmesan cheese if desired.

Notes

  • If using smaller chicken breasts, leave them intact (but you will likely need to cook them for a bit longer).
  • If you don’t want the cream in it, I recommend omitting it entirely vs. using something like half-and-half because the sauce is likely to curdle and not thicken as well.
  • Use low-sodium chicken broth if sensitive to salt.
  • I highly recommend this lemon zester.
  • This recipe can also be found on page 86 of the Salt & Lavender: Everyday Essentials cookbook.

Nutrition

Calories: 393kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 26g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Cholesterol: 143mg, Sodium: 352mg, Potassium: 452mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 821IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 28mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.

Leave a star rating and comment below!

This recipe was originally published on September 4, 2015. It’s been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!


Hi! Iโ€™m Natasha.

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4.93 from 352 votes (54 ratings without comment)

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832 Comments

  1. Dan Russo says:

    I haven’t tried it yet, but this looks like the recipe for me. I live alone and don’t keep a 1001 spices and 5# quantities of everything. Piccata is one of my favorites.
    Grazie mille!!!

    1. Natasha says:

      Let me know if you try it, Dan!

  2. Kristen Waas says:

    5 stars
    This was delicious! I used chicken thighs and had to peel and chop up the lemon zest because I don’t have a zester – it was so tasty I actually cried. I cried real tears. Making it again soon!

    1. Natasha says:

      I’m so happy you liked it so much, Kristen!! ๐Ÿ™‚ XO

  3. Janice says:

    5 stars
    I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! I didn’t have capers so substituted finely chopped green olives and it worked. Would like to try it again with capers. Thank you for your delicious recipes. I would rather paint or read than cook, but I use your recipes all the time when I do cook!

    1. Natasha says:

      Love the olives idea! And thank you… I am so happy you enjoy my recipes ๐Ÿ™‚

  4. Tracey says:

    5 stars
    We made this recipe tonight for a dinner party (X 4)! Everyone loved it! We will definitely make this again…great recipe thank you ๐Ÿ˜Š

    1. Natasha says:

      Wonderful!! Thanks for letting me know!! ๐Ÿ™‚

  5. Elizabeth says:

    Approximate weight of the chicken breasts? Thanks

    1. Natasha says:

      About a pound or so in total.

  6. jen says:

    5 stars
    Made this recipe tonight and the only thing I regrettably had to omit was the capers. Apparently my kids “hate them” even though they have never tried them- ha! Anyways it was delicious even to my pickiest of eaters. Thank you!

    1. Natasha says:

      Haha oh well, I’m glad it still tasted good!

    2. Diane LaCalamita says:

      Good to know! I don’t have capers on hand and am not going out to the stores for any reason at this point.

  7. Patti says:

    5 stars
    Very easy & delicious!

    1. Natasha says:

      Thanks so much for letting me know, Patti! So glad you liked it!

  8. Jeanne says:

    4 stars
    I just made this and it was delicious! I always think of chicken piccata as super time consuming but this was easy and quick.

    1. Natasha says:

      I’m so happy you enjoyed it! ๐Ÿ˜€

  9. Maria says:

    5 stars
    AMAZING! Doubled the sauce and the capers because I used more chicken. My 11 year old claimed it was better than what he has had at our local Italian restaurant. So quick and easy, perfect for a weekday meal.

    1. Natasha says:

      Wow… that’s quite the compliment! Thank your son for me. ๐Ÿ™‚ Thanks for taking the time to leave me a comment!

  10. Arran Valkin says:

    4 stars
    Thank you. Great tips. Cooks don’t forget to double the sauce ingredients when making a double quantity.

    1. Ann Marie says:

      Super good! So easy to make. I used wine and also the capers. Husband loved it! Next time I will double the incredible sauce!

      1. Natasha says:

        ๐Ÿ™‚