Description
Lemon Chicken Piccata is a quick and elegant weeknight dinner featuring juicy, pan-seared chicken cutlets topped with a bright, silky lemon-caper sauce. This dish is easy to prepare in 30 minutes and pairs beautifully with mashed potatoes or a fresh salad for a complete meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 4 chicken cutlets (~1 to 1 ¼ lbs)
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (use gluten-free flour, if needed)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Sauce
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth, homemade or store-bought
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (juice of ½ lemon)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Optional for Serving
- Mashed potatoes
- Lemon wedges or slices
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken cutlets: Slice the chicken breasts in half crosswise to create 4 cutlets. Lightly pound each cutlet between sheets of plastic wrap until about ½ inch thick.
- Coat the chicken: In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Toss each cutlet in the flour mixture until coated evenly on all sides. Set aside unused flour.
- Cook the chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the cutlets and cook without moving until golden brown on the underside, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side just until nearly cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate, ensuring internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Make the sauce base: Reduce heat to low, add remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and minced garlic to the skillet. Stir continuously for about 30 seconds to avoid burning garlic.
- Add broth and flavorings: Increase heat to medium-high and add chicken broth, capers, and Dijon mustard to the skillet. Stir and scrape browned bits from the pan bottom. Let the liquid reduce by half, about 3 minutes.
- Finish the sauce: Stir in butter vigorously until melted and sauce turns glossy, about 1 minute.
- Combine chicken and sauce: Return chicken to the skillet, spoon sauce over each cutlet, and continue simmering vigorously until chicken is fully cooked through and sauce slightly thickens, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve: Transfer chicken to a serving platter, spoon remaining sauce over the top, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve with mashed potatoes and garnish with lemon wedges if desired. Sauce will thicken further as it cools.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- This recipe is ready in 30 minutes, making it perfect for a quick and delicious weeknight dinner.
- For gluten-free option, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend.
- Use homemade chicken broth for deeper flavor or a good-quality store-bought broth for convenience.
- Chicken internal temperature should reach 165°F to ensure safety and juiciness.
- Serve over creamy mashed potatoes to soak up the flavorful lemon-caper sauce.
- The sauce thickens more as it cools; reheat gently if needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe (without mashed potatoes)
- Calories: 232 kcal
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 542 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 78 mg
