Description
This Easy Lemon Chicken Piccata is a bright and flavorful Italian-inspired dish featuring tender chicken breasts cooked in a zesty lemon butter sauce with capers. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s perfect for a quick weeknight dinner served over pasta or rice.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1 lb. chicken breasts
- ¼ cup flour (gluten-free 1-to-1)
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
Sauce
- 5 Tbsp. butter, divided
- ¼ cup lemon juice (fresh)
- ½ – â…” cup chicken broth
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- ¼ cup capers
- ¼ tsp. salt (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare chicken: Using a meat mallet, pound chicken breasts to about 1-inch thickness for even cooking. Then cut into 4-ounce portions to ensure consistent sizes.
- Coat chicken: In a medium shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, ½ teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Dip each chicken breast into this flour mixture, coating all sides liberally to create a light crust.
- Cook chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat until sizzling. Add the coated chicken breasts and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side until golden brown and fully cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
- Make sauce base: In the same skillet, add the remaining butter and crushed garlic cloves. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant but not browned, infusing the butter with flavor.
- Add liquids and simmer: Pour in the fresh lemon juice and chicken broth. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer for about 5 minutes, whisking every 20 to 30 seconds to encourage thickening and blend flavors.
- Combine chicken with sauce: Once the sauce has thickened, return the chicken to the skillet along with the optional ¼ teaspoon salt. Continue whisking the sauce around the chicken for another 2 minutes to meld flavors and heat through.
- Finish and serve: Just before serving, sprinkle the lemony chicken with capers to add a burst of briny tang. Serve your lemon chicken piccata with pasta or rice for a complete and satisfying meal. Enjoy!
Notes
- Pounding the chicken breasts ensures even thickness for uniform cooking.
- Using gluten-free flour makes this dish suitable for gluten-sensitive diets.
- Fresh lemon juice is preferred for the best bright flavor.
- Capers add a salty, tangy element—feel free to adjust the amount to taste.
- Ensure not to burn the garlic in the sauce as it can turn bitter.
- This recipe pairs well with angel hair pasta, linguine, or steamed rice.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and gently reheated on the stovetop.
