Easy Chicken Piccata
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
5 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Total Time
25 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
393 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Easy Chicken Piccata
Description
This recipe prepares chicken breasts sliced into thinner cutlets, seasoned, floured, and cooked in butter and olive oil until golden. A sauce is created in the pan by deglazing with chicken broth or white wine, adding lemon juice, zest, capers, and finishing with butter and heavy cream. The cream melts into the sauce, creating a slightly thickened, silky texture. The chicken returns to the pan to warm through and absorb flavors.
The sauce balances tartness from lemon and briny notes from capers, while the butter and cream provide richness. Fresh parsley and grated Parmesan optional garnish enhance flavor and presentation. Serving options can include sides that can soak up the sauce like bread or vegetables.
This dish can be made without cream by increasing broth, though sauce texture will differ. Smaller breasts may require different cooking times to maintain juiciness.
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breast
- salt to taste
- black 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 and zest of 1
- 1 tablespoon capers drained, brined
- 1/2 cup heavy cream aka whipping cream
- parsley optional; chopped; freshly grated; for garnish
- Parmesan Cheese optional; chopped; freshly grated; for garnish
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
- Leave smaller chicken breasts whole if you prefer thicker cutlets but cook longer to ensure doneness.
- Omit cream entirely to avoid curdling; increasing broth compensates for thickness.
- Use low-sodium broth if concerned about salt levels.
- Fresh lemon zest and juice brighten the dish, so fresh lemon is recommended.
- The recipe is featured in the Salt & Lavender cookbook, page 86.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 393 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 393kcal | 20% |
| Carbohydrates | 7g | 2% |
| Protein | 26g | 52% |
| Fat | 29g | 45% |
| Saturated Fat | 15g | 75% |
| Cholesterol | 143mg | 48% |
| Sodium | 352mg | 15% |
| Potassium | 452mg | 10% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 821IU | 16% |
| Vitamin C | 4mg | 4% |
| Calcium | 28mg | 3% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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