Chicken Piccata
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Whip up classic chicken piccata—crispy chicken cutlets drenched in a zesty lemon-butter and caper sauce. It’s the quick, easy supper guaranteed to bring smiles all around the table.
When it’s 5:30 PM, and I’m staring blankly into the fridge at a package of boneless chicken breasts, this chicken piccata recipe often comes to the rescue. Crispy, golden chicken cutlets in a buttery, lemony caper sauce, it’s a quick weeknight dinner that makes everyone happy. For the picky eaters, you can serve the chicken plain, while those who love bold flavors can enjoy the zesty, lemony sauce. If you love those same bright, briny flavors in a slightly different form, my chicken piccata meatballs are a fun twist on the classic.
Capers tend to be a love-’em-or-hate-’em ingredient, so feel free to leave them out if you’re not a fan. Chicken piccata pairs well with many easy sides, such as spaghetti aglio e olio, roasted carrots, Parmesan smashed potatoes or polenta.
“I have already made this recipe twice this week! A fast favorite in our household.”
What You’ll Need To Make Chicken Piccata
- All-Purpose Flour: Step one in the breading process. Used to lightly coat the chicken, ensuring the crust adheres well during cooking.
- Eggs: Step two in the breading process. The floured chicken is dipped in beaten eggs, creating a sticky base for the breadcrumbs to cling to.
- Seasoned Italian Bread Crumbs: The final step in the breading process, providing a flavorful, crispy coating once cooked.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Used for pan-frying.
- Chicken Stock: Forms the base of the sauce.
- Lemon Juice: Adds a bright contrast to the rich sauce.
- Capers: A burst of tangy, briny flavor that’s characteristic of piccata sauce.
- Butter: Swirled into the sauce for a silky finish.
- Fresh Italian Parsley: Adds a pop of color and freshness.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Begin by prepping the chicken breasts. First slice each chicken breast in half horizontally.
Place the chicken breasts in a large sealable plastic bag and, using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound them to an even 1/4-inch thickness. This ensures that they cook quickly and evenly.
To the bag, add the flour, salt, and pepper; seal and shake to combine.
Add the chicken to the bag, seal, and shake to coat evenly.
Beat the eggs in a large, shallow bowl. In another bowl, combine the bread crumbs and salt. Dip each chicken breast in the egg mixture, then coat evenly in the bread crumbs. (The breaded chicken can be refrigerated for 4 hours or frozen for up to 3 months.)
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the pan and cook for until the first side is golden brown.
Flip the chicken and cook until the second side is golden, about 2 minutes more.
Transfer the chicken to the prepared baking sheet and place in the oven while you make the sauce.
Discard any excess oil from the pan. Add the stock, lemon juice, and capers and bring to a boil, scraping up any brown bits from the pan. Gently simmer for about two minutes.
Off the heat, swirl in the butter.
Add the parsley.
Remove the chicken piccata from the oven and transfer to plates. Spoon the sauce over top and enjoy!
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Chicken Piccata
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
For the Sauce
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, from 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons brined capers, drained and rinsed
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Using a very sharp knife, slice each chicken breast in half horizontally. One at a time, place the chicken breasts in a large sealable plastic bag and, using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound them to an even ¼-in (6-mm) thickness. (If your chicken breasts are very small, you can skip the step of cutting them in half horizontally. I use two ¾-lb/340-g breasts to make 4 portions.) Save the bag.
- To the bag, add the flour, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper; seal and shake to combine. Add the chicken to the bag; seal and shake to coat the chicken evenly. Beat the eggs in a large, shallow bowl. In another large, shallow bowl, mix the bread crumbs with ¼ teaspoon salt. Using tongs (or your hands), dip each chicken breast first in the egg mixture, turning to coat evenly and letting any excess egg drip off, and then into the bread crumbs, turning to coat evenly.
- Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the chicken to the pan and cook for until the first side is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook until the second side is golden, about 2 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to the prepared baking sheet and place in the oven while you make the sauce. (Note: the chicken should be almost fully cooked at this point. Don't leave it in the oven for more than 5 minutes or it will overcook.)
- Discard any excess oil from the pan. Add the stock, lemon juice, and capers and bring to a boil, scraping up any brown bits from the pan. Gently boil for about two minutes, until slightly reduced. Off the heat, swirl in the butter, followed by the parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary. Remove the chicken from the oven and transfer to plates. Spoon the sauce over top.
Notes
Pair with
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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SO SO good. I have always been disappointed with the outcome of chicken piccata – when cooking myself or ordering at a restaurant. The chicken always seems soggy (I think from cooking breaded chicken in the sauce). I followed this recipe exactly, which is typically hard for me to do, but by now I am used to trusting Jenn’s instruction exactly. This was no exception. We will absolutely add to our rotation!
P.S. If you haven’t already – try out the beef and broccoli recipe!
Another amazing once upon a chef recipe! I followed your directions exactly, and for once, didn’t overcook chicken. My whole family was happy. Thank you for always being our go-to.
Delicious! The recipe was easy to follow, especially after the guided step by step pictures which were very helpful. The chicken was moist and flavorful even though my capers were outdated. Looking forward to making it again with the capers. Thank you.
With a few changes, I loved this recipe! I doubled the sauce and replaced 1/2 cup of the chicken broth with Pinot Grigio wine. I added a splash of heavy cream to the sauce and only about 2-3 tbs. of lemon and only 5 tbs. of butter (all for sauce doubling). Finally, I took some of the sauce out and mixed it with a little flour then put that sauce back with the rest to thicken the sauce a bit. My hubby loved it but next time he wants some Parmesan cheese added at the end.
This was so delicious! Will definitely be making again and again. I started the lemon sauce with a roux to make it thicker, and it was so tasty! Wouldn’t change a thing.
I really enjoy making this meal. It’s quite tasty but also easy enough – and quick enough – for a weeknight, but still fancy enough to serve to company. I use a meat thermometer to be sure the chicken is cooked through rather than putting it in the oven.
We made this for dinner this week and it was delicious. My 14 and 11 year old loved them too. Chicken was juicy and the coating was crispy. The sauce was delicious. We’ll make it again.
OMGEEEEE. Here is another recipe that I have made twice in the last week. My family went on and on for two straight days about how amazing this chicken was.
This took me a little longer to prep since I’m not a professional, however it was so worth it. This is the kind of meal you’d serve to dinner guests. It’s that good!!! The chicken is so unbelievably moist, and so tender you can cut it with a fork. The sauce really takes it to another level. You have the flavor of the chicken bits that were left in the pan, along with the stock. Then you add lemon and capers which brings a wonderful tartness to the sauce. Lastly the butter which makes it rich and brings it all together.
This will become a family staple that’s for sure.
Thank you again Jenn, this is delicious recipe.
Who doesn’t love lemony chicken! I made this dish and my husband says am now a pro at delicious lightly breaded chicken! I loved the crispy chicken with the seasoned lemon butter sauce. I would recommend letting the sauce thicken slightly more than I did. I doubled the lemon for a bit more lemon taste. Capers add a fun saltiness to the recipe. I would also recommend the mashed potatoes Jenn suggests; I used egg noodles and they couldn’t quite take advantage of the sauce!
This is a great recipe, goes together fairly quickly, even quicker if you don’t double the recipe lol I love lemon and the capers make it a dining out experience. I took the panko and mixed it liberally with Italiano seasoning. A real hit with the meat eaters in my family! I love your book but I still look forward to seeing my emails with recipes. Great Idea, thank you very much!