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4.7 from 60 votes

Easy Lemon Chicken Piccata

Tender chicken cutlets, lightly breaded and served in a mouthwatering lemon cream sauce with capers and shallots. Great over pasta and ready in about 30 minutes!

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 894 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp ground or dried thyme
  • 1 Tbsp fresh basil minced
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 shallot thinly sliced (a yellow onion may be substituted, but only use about 1/3 cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1/2 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
  • 1/3 cup lemon juice fresh is best (approximately 2 lemons worth of juice)
  • 3 Tbsp capers drained
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch
  • Fresh parsley and basil for garnish (optional)
  • 16 oz package thin spaghetti pasta for serving (also optional)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. If making pasta to serve with chicken piccata: Boil pasta until al dente, according to package directions, then drain and toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.  Set aside.
  2. Add chicken breast to a cutting board. Hold your knife parallel to the board and carefully slice the chicken from right to left (if you’re a righty)… opening the chicken breast up like a book.  Slice all the way through, so you now have 2 thinly sliced pieces of chicken. Repeat with other chicken breast.
  3. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and thyme.  Add flour to a shallow bowl, and add basil and paprika, stirring to combine.
  4. Dredge chicken pieces in flour, then set on a plate.
  5. Add butter and oil to a large skillet and heat over MED-HIGH heat.  Once hot, add chicken, 2 pieces at at time, and cook for about 4 minutes per side, or until chicken is golden brown and cooked through.  Remove chicken to a plate and repeat with remaining chicken pieces. Watch the chicken as it cooks, and if it looks like it's getting too brown too quickly, reduce your heat a little.
  6. Reduce skillet heat to MED.  Add shallots and garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring often.
  7. Stir in wine, scraping the bottom to loosen any browned bits. Cook for 2 minutes over MED heat.
  8. Stir in chicken broth, lemon juice and capers. Bring sauce to a low boil and then simmer for 3-5 minutes.  
  9. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together heavy cream and cornstarch until smooth. Stir mixture into sauce and cook 2-3 minutes, or until thickened to a sauce that will easily coat the back of a spoon.
  10. Return chicken pieces to skillet and coat with sauce. Add a few lemon wedges if you'd like.
  11. Serve chicken sliced, over a bed of pasta that’s been tossed with plenty of sauce and sprinkled with lemon zest, parsley, and basil. Or you can serve the chicken as is, with some vegetables alongside.

Notes

  • Original Recipe (from 2015)
  • Calorie information includes the pasta.
  • If desired, serve with cooked pancetta or bacon as an additional garnish.
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 3/4-1" thickness
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • pinch of ground thyme
  • 1 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 shallot, thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 2 lemons, juiced
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup capers, drained
  • fresh parsley and basil, for garnish
  • 1 lb. thin spaghetti pasta
  • Heat butter and oil in a skillet over medium high heat.  Season flour with salt, pepper, and fresh basil.  Add thyme, salt and pepper to each side of the chicken breasts, then dredge in the seasoned flour.
  • Place chicken breasts in the skillet.  Cook in batches of 2 (unless you have a huge skillet) to ensure a golden brown exterior.  Cook for about 4 minutes per side, or until chicken is completely cooked through.  Remove to a plate and set aside.  Repeat with remaining chicken breasts.
  • Drop your pasta in salted boiling water and cook until al dente (according to package directions)
  • Reduce the heat to medium low.  Add shallots and garlic to the same skillet, stir to saute for 1 minute.  Add broth, wine, lemon juice, heavy cream, and capers.  Whisk to combine and bring the sauce to a low boil.  Taste the sauce and adjust salt and pepper if necessary.  Simmer the sauce for 3 minutes.
  • Drain pasta, place in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and add fresh basil and parsley and toss to combine.
  • Slice the chicken into strips and place over cooked pasta.  Pour sauce over the top and garnish with chopped parsley and basil.

Nutrition Information

Calories 894kcal (45%) Carbohydrates 105g (35%) Protein 43g (86%) Fat 31g (48%) Saturated Fat 15g (75%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 10g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 149mg (50%) Sodium 625mg (26%) Potassium 834mg (24%) Fiber 5g (20%) Sugar 5g (10%) Vitamin A 1028IU (21%) Vitamin C 11mg (12%) Calcium 80mg (8%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 894

% Daily Value*

Calories 894kcal 45%
Carbohydrates 105g 35%
Protein 43g 86%
Fat 31g 48%
Saturated Fat 15g 75%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 10g 50%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 149mg 50%
Sodium 625mg 26%
Potassium 834mg 18%
Fiber 5g 20%
Sugar 5g 10%
Vitamin A 1028IU 21%
Vitamin C 11mg 12%
Calcium 80mg 8%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.