Lemon Chicken Piccata
This Lemon Chicken Piccata is one of my favorite quick dinners. Tender chicken, a bright lemon-white wine sauce, and salty capers come together in just 25 minutes for a fresh restaurant-style meal at home.
Ingredients
- 3 Large Chicken Breasts Boneless skinless
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper Freshly ground
- 60 g Flour For dredging
- 4 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
For the Piccata Sauce:
- 1 Small Shallot Finely chopped
- 2 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 120 ml Dry White Wine
- 240 ml Chicken Broth
- 2 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 40 g Capers
- 75 g Unsalted Butter
- 2 tablespoon Fresh Parsley Chopped
Instructions
- Start by pounding the chicken breasts to an even thickness, about ½ inch (1.3 cm) thick. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and black pepper. Dredge the chicken breasts in flour, shaking off any excess.
- Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts to the skillet and cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
- In the same skillet, add the chopped shallot and minced garlic, sautéing for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in the dry white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon or spatula. Let the wine reduce for about 2 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Add the capers and pour in the chicken broth. Simmer the mixture and reduce it by half. Stir in the lemon juice and let the sauce simmer for another 2-3 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Reduce the heat to low and swirl in the unsalted butter, a few pieces at a time, until melted and the sauce is creamy.
- Return the chicken breasts to the skillet, spooning some of the sauce over the chicken. Simmer gently for another minute or so to heat the chicken through and allow it to absorb some of the flavors. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the chicken piccata just before serving.
- Serve the chicken piccata hot with extra sauce drizzled over the top if desired.
Notes
Don’t Crowd the Pan: I always make sure to give the chicken some space, it needs room to brown properly. If the pan feels full, I cook it in batches. That golden sear is worth the extra step.
Butter Swirling: Once the sauce is ready, I turn the heat down and swirl in the butter slowly. It’s the key to getting that creamy finish without the sauce splitting.
Taste the Sauce: Before serving, I always taste the sauce. If it’s a bit too tangy, I soften it with a touch more butter or just a tiny pinch of sugar, it makes all the difference.
Nutrition
Calories: 728kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 52g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 200mg | Sodium: 1322mg | Potassium: 975mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 939IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 3mg