Description
This Chicken Piccata recipe offers a classic Italian-American dish featuring tender boneless chicken breasts coated in a Parmesan and garlic flour mixture, pan-fried to golden perfection, then finished in a tangy white wine, lemon, and caper sauce. It’s a flavorful, restaurant-quality meal that’s surprisingly easy to make at home and perfect for a weeknight dinner or special occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup flour
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (finely grated)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Cooking & Sauce
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- ½ cup dry white wine (like chardonnay or pinot grigio)
- 4 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
- 2 tablespoons capers (drained)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons cold salted butter
- ¼ cup fresh parsley (roughly chopped)
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Slice each chicken breast horizontally to create thinner cutlets, or pound them to an even thickness if preferred. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Make the Coating: In a shallow dish, mix the flour, grated Parmesan cheese, and garlic powder. Dredge each chicken piece in the flour mixture, pressing lightly to ensure the coating adheres well.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the coated chicken cutlets and fry for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside on a warm plate.
- Sauté Garlic and Deglaze: In the same skillet, add the sliced garlic and sauté briefly until fragrant but not browned, about 30 seconds. Pour in the dry white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce by half, approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Add Capers and Broth: Stir in the capers, chicken broth, and lemon juice. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 4-5 minutes.
- Finish the Sauce: Remove the skillet from heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons of cold salted butter to enrich and slightly thicken the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Combine and Garnish: Return the cooked chicken cutlets to the skillet, spooning the sauce over them to coat well. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley just before serving.
Notes
- This Lemon Chicken Piccata is a restaurant-quality meal that is easy to make at home!
- The sauce balances the brightness of lemon with the richness of butter and the savory tang of capers.
- Serve this dish with a side of pasta, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce.
- Use a dry white wine like Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio for best flavor. If you prefer to avoid alcohol, substitute with extra chicken broth and a tablespoon of white wine vinegar.
- Be careful not to overcook the chicken; thinner cutlets help cook it evenly and quickly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 303 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 1103 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 17 g
- Cholesterol: 48 mg
