This bright, tangy chicken piccata delivers golden cutlets and a silky, flavorful sauce with very little fuss. Best of all, it comes together in about 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights. Serve it for family or guests and enjoy compliments for a dish that feels elegant but is simple to make.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Chicken Piccata Ingredients
- Recipe Variations & Modifications
- How to Make Chicken Piccata
- How to Serve Chicken Piccata
- Storage & Reheating
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Weeknight-Friendly Chicken Recipes…
- Easy Chicken Piccata Recipe
With bright lemon and briny capers balanced by butter, wine, and chicken stock, chicken piccata is a deliciously balanced dish that feels special without being complicated. It’s approachable, fast, and impressive.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Super flavorful — Lemon and capers provide bright acidity while butter, wine, and stock create a smooth, balanced sauce.
- Easy — Despite its elegant flavor and presentation, the method is straightforward and quick.
Chicken Piccata Ingredients
A full ingredient list with exact measurements is available in the recipe card below.
- Chicken — Use chicken cutlets or slice and pound chicken breasts into thin cutlets.
Recipe Variations & Modifications
- Wine — If you prefer not to use alcohol, substitute additional chicken stock for the wine.
- Flavor boost — A teaspoon of concentrated chicken base (such as Better Than Bouillon) can deepen the sauce, but it’s optional.
How to Make Chicken Piccata
Step 1. Season the cutlets with salt and pepper. If using breasts, butterfly and pound them to about 1/4-inch thickness.
Step 2. Combine flour, garlic powder, onion powder, and grated Pecorino or Parmesan in a shallow dish. Dredge each cutlet, then set aside.
Step 3. In a skillet over medium-high, melt half the butter and add the olive oil. Cook two cutlets at a time 3 minutes per side until golden. Transfer to paper towels. Add remaining butter and oil and cook the rest.
Step 4. Lower heat to medium-low. Pour in the white wine and scrape up browned bits to deglaze. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds. Whisk chicken stock, lemon juice, and a bit of flour until smooth, then add to the pan with capers. Simmer until the sauce thickens, stir in lemon zest (and optional slices), return cutlets to the pan, and simmer 3–5 minutes, spooning sauce over the chicken.
This is a summary; full instructions and quantities are in the recipe card below.
Step 5. Transfer the cutlets to a serving platter, spoon extra sauce over them, top with softened lemon slices if using, and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
How to Serve Chicken Piccata
Serve over simple long noodles, spaghetti aglio e olio, roasted mini potatoes, mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus, or sautéed green beans. The bright sauce pairs well with plain or lightly seasoned sides that soak up the juices.
Storage & Reheating
- Store leftover piccata in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To reheat, warm gently in a saucepan over low heat until heated through, or microwave in short intervals until hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chicken piccata features lemon, capers, and white wine in a light, bright sauce. Chicken marsala uses Marsala wine and mushrooms for a deeper, richer brown sauce.
Francese dips cutlets in flour and egg before cooking and uses lemon in the sauce. Piccata skips the egg and includes capers in the lemony sauce.
A light white such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or a lighter Chardonnay works well. Use a wine you’d enjoy drinking with the meal.
More Weeknight-Friendly Chicken Recipes…
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Easy Chicken Paprikash (Paprika Chicken)
If you make this chicken piccata, please leave a star rating and a comment to share how it turned out.
Easy Chicken Piccata
Ingredients
- 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts or 4 chicken cutlets
- Sea salt and cracked black pepper
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus 1 TBSP
- 2 tsp freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup white wine (Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio)
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed and minced
- 1 tsp Better Than Bouillon chicken base (optional)
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced (optional)
- 3 TBSP capers, drained
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
To prepare the chicken:
- Mix flour, garlic powder, onion powder, and cheese in a shallow dish and set aside.
- Butterfly and pound chicken breasts to 1/4-inch thickness (or use pre-cut cutlets). Season with salt and pepper.
- Dredge each cutlet in the flour mixture and place on a plate until ready to cook.
To cook the chicken:
- Heat a skillet over medium-high, melt half the butter, then add the olive oil.
- When sizzling, cook two cutlets for 3 minutes per side until golden. Transfer to paper towels and repeat with remaining cutlets, adding the remaining butter and oil as needed.
To make the sauce:
- Pour the white wine into the pan and scrape up browned bits to deglaze the pan.
- Add garlic and cook about 30 seconds, stirring.
- Whisk chicken stock, lemon juice, and a bit of flour until smooth; add to the pan along with capers and simmer until the sauce thickens.
- Stir in lemon zest and optional slices. Return the cutlets to the pan and simmer on low 3–5 minutes, spooning sauce over the chicken.
- Transfer to a serving platter, spoon extra sauce over the cutlets, top with lemon slices if using, and garnish with chopped parsley.