Description
This Easy Lemon Chicken Piccata is a bright, quick dinner with tender golden chicken, fresh lemon butter sauce, briny capers, and simple pantry ingredients. It is an easy recipe for busy weeknights, a fresh dinner idea for family meals, and a flavorful chicken pasta dish that feels special without being complicated.
Ingredients
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into 4 thin cutlets
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1/4 cup capers, drained
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
12 ounces spaghetti or pasta, cooked for serving
Instructions
1. Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally to make 4 thin cutlets, then pat them dry with paper towels.
2. Mix the flour, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder in a shallow bowl.
3. Lightly dredge each chicken cutlet in the seasoned flour and shake off the excess.
4. Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
5. Sear the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through, then transfer it to a plate.
6. Reduce the heat to medium and add the minced garlic to the same skillet. Cook for 30 seconds.
7. Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
8. Stir in the lemon juice, lemon slices, and capers, then simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.
9. Lower the heat and swirl in the remaining 3 tablespoons butter until the sauce is glossy.
10. Return the chicken to the skillet, spoon the sauce over the top, and warm for 1 to 2 minutes.
11. Serve over cooked pasta and garnish with fresh parsley.
Notes
Use thin chicken cutlets so the chicken cooks quickly and stays tender.
Taste the sauce before serving and add more broth or butter if the lemon tastes too sharp.
Store pasta separately from the chicken and sauce when possible so the noodles do not absorb all the sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken cutlet with pasta and sauce
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
Keywords: Easy Lemon Chicken Piccata, lemon chicken piccata, chicken piccata, easy dinner, chicken pasta, quick dinner, dinner ideas, easy recipe