Chicken Piccata is a delicious Italian-American dish that combines thinly sliced chicken breasts, lemons, and capers simmered together in a velvety butter sauce. The best part is it can be ready in about 40 minutes making it a weeknight go-to!
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Editor’s Note: Originally published on March 3, 2020. Updated with all new pictures, expanded information, and improved recipe on September 20, 2024.
Chicken Piccata is one of those dishes that can be found on the menu of nearly every Italian-American restaurant because its flavors make it appealing to the masses.
It’s great for weeknights, but also perfect for gatherings!
We like to serve it alongside rice pilaf and a green vegetable, such as sauteed spinach or garlicky broccoli rabe.
Recipe Ingredients
All ingredients for this recipe are shown in the pic below and special notes are made in this bulleted list to assist you.
- Chicken. I’m using thinly sliced chicken breasts for chicken piccata. You can save money by purchasing whole breasts and filleting the cutlets yourself, but many stores will sell cutlets that are already thinly sliced.
- Capers. I love capers and the flavor they bring to this dish. They are quite salty though so be sure to rinse them before using to remove some of the salt.
- Wine. Use a dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make it
- Slice 4 cloves of garlic, cube 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter, rinse 3 tablespoons of capers, and mince 1/4 cup of parsley. Take 2 lemons and slice 6 slices, then cut the rest into wedges. Place 1 1/2 pounds of thinly sliced chicken cutlets on a flat surface and season with salt and pepper on both side.
- Place 1/2 cup of flour in a shallow plate and dredge each cutlet in the flour, gently shaking to remove any excess. Save the flour for use later on in step 6. Place the dredged cutlets on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and set aside.
- Heat a large nonstick pan to a touch less than medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan and sear the cutlets until cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side. Work in batches using a little more olive oil and butter as required for each batch. Once the cutlets are seared, remove to a plate and set aside.
- Using the same pan, turn the heat to low, add the garlic and a touch more olive oil, and saute for 1-2 minutes or until golden.
- Add the capers and cook for 1 minute more, then add 1/3 cup of dry white wine, and 1 cup of low-sodium chicken stock and turn the heat to high. Use a wooden spoon to gently scrape the bottom of the pan to dislodge any brown bits, and allow the sauce to boil for 1-2 minutes.
- While the sauce is boiling, add the remaining butter cubes to the flour and roll them around to coat. Shake off the excess.
- Add the lemon slices to the pan, lower the heat, and allow the sauce to simmer for another 2 minutes. Add the floured butter cubes to the pan one at a time and use a whisk or wooden spoon to stir the sauce and emulsify. Taste test the sauce and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed.
- Add the chicken and half of the parsley to the pan and coat the chicken with the sauce on all sides. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, then remove from the heat and add the remaining parsley. Serve with the remaining lemon wedges and enjoy!
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Top tips
- Use homemade stock. One way to instantly elevate the flavor in your dishes is to use homemade stock, in this case, chicken stock. Not only does it have better flavor and mouthfeel than storebought stocks, but you have 100% control over the sodium level in your dish.
- Thickening the sauce. Some folks prefer a thicker sauce for chicken piccata. If you’d like a thicker sauce, make a cornstarch slurry and use that to thicken the sauce to your liking.
- Use a nonstick pan. While it’s not required to use a nonstick pan for this dish, I do recommend it as it will make it so much easier to prepare and to clean.
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Chicken Piccata
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds thin sliced chicken cutlets
- 1/2 cup flour will not need all of it
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter cubed
- 4 cloves garlic sliced
- 3 tablespoons rinsed capers
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 2 large lemons 6 round slices and rest cut into wedges
- 1/4 cup minced flat-leaf Italian parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
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Instructions
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides then dredge the cutlets in flour and shake off the excess. Place the dredged cutlets on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Heat a large nonstick pan to a touch less than medium heat, then add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and butter to the pan. Sear the chicken cutlets until cooked through (approximately 3-4 minutes per side) then set aside on a platter lightly tented with foil. Do not crowd the pan. Work in batches, using a bit more olive oil and butter as required for each batch.
- Using the same pan, turn the heat to low and add the garlic and a touch more olive oil. Saute until golden (about 1-2 minutes) then add the capers and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add the wine and chicken stock to the pan and turn heat to high. With a wooden spoon dislodge all the brown bits from the bottom of pan. Boil for 1-2 minutes then add the lemon slices, lower the heat, and simmer for another 2 minutes.
- Roll the remaining butter cubes in the leftover flour and shake off the excess. Add one cube at a time to the pan. Using a whisk or wooden spoon, stir the sauce to emulsify. Taste test the sauce and adjust salt, pepper, and lemon juice levels if required.
- When satisfied with the taste of the sauce, add the chicken and half the parsley and gently coat all the pieces. Cook for 2-3 minutes to warm through. Turn off heat and add the remaining parsley. Serve with remaining lemon wedges. Enjoy!
Notes
- Thin cutlets are recommended.
- Use an adequate amount of oil and butter for each batch of chicken and do not crowd the pieces in the pan.
- Leftovers can be saved for up to three days and can be reheated in the oven on 325f covered until warm or on the stovetop at low heat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This recipe was originally published on February 3, 2020. It was completely updated on September 20, 2024.
Fuhgeddaboutit! Simply the best
So happy you enjoyed, Kerry!
Is there a substitute for butter that I can use, I have problem with dairy?
Hi Krysia, you can try omitting the butter and just using olive oil as the fat for the dish. It won’t be as velvety as a chicken piccata with butter, but would still be good.
Love this recipe. It has become a regular in my house and so easy to whip up on a weeknight. Tonight we are serving it to company 😉
Hi Lorraine, thanks for the comment and so happy you enjoyed!
Absolutely nutball delicious!! Make it tonight!
Hi there, thanks for the comment and so happy you enjoyed!
Very good. Husband loved it.
Hi Jan, thanks for the comment. I’m so happy you and your husband enjoyed!
Totally agree, the thinner the better for the best cutlet dishes… TY love your recipes
Hi Licia, thanks for the comment and so happy you’re enjoying the recipes!
Jim,
Made the Grandma Pie and Stromboli for the first time on Super Bowl Sunday. The taste brought me back to growing up on Long Island. The flavor reminded me of the small takeout pizza shops we had around Suffolk County. I used the 15″ dough quantity and realized I didn’t have enough for my 16X12. Same for the Stromboli. Should I be doubling for those or do a better job of stretching them?
-Dwayne
Hi Dwayne, so happy you liked the chicken piccata. As far as the pizza, the grandma and stromboli both require more dough than the 15″ round New York pizza. I’d recommend viewing both those recipes and using the dough quantities listed there. As long as you follow the instructions for each you shouldn’t have an issue. In the future, if you have questions on the pizza posts, it’s best to leave a comment on that specific post so others can also see and learn from the comment/question. Hope that makes sense. Thanks!
I put both butter pats and lemon slices in flour then in the sauce at the end. No further thickening is necessary. Try it. Great recipe.
Hi Marcia, thanks for the comment and so happy you enjoyed the recipe!
This recipe is the best piccata I’ve ever made!!! Bravo!
Hi Cyndi, thanks so much for the comment. I’m so happy you enjoyed the piccata!
I love your recipes watching them from Bratislava, Slovakia.
Hi Eva, thanks for the message. So happy you’re enjoying the recipes!
I have been cooking since I was tall enough to see the stovetop and I have done some complex recipes in my time. Your presentation demystifies some of these classic dishes and has gotten me to try and learn these essential Italian-American dishes. Since 1533 when Catherine de Medici moved to France and refused to eat the slop they were serving at court and introduced the French to many foods and the use of forks at the dining table; it has always fascinated me trace french food back to it’s origin in Italy. The presentation here shows the basics and techniques of preparation that is the base of many other dishes but stand on their own as classics.
Hi Robert, thanks so much for the comment, I really appreciate it!
My confidence in cooking was zero …. was brought up on frozen, or nothing at all!
But now I’ll have a go at anything and tastes so good! Thank you for sharing and for the encouragement ✨️
Hi Holly, I’m so happy you’re enjoying and feeling more confident with cooking! Thank you for the comment and keep cooking! 🙂
I love your recipes. Easy to follow and delicious!
Thank you for the comment, Janet! I’m so happy you’re enjoying the recipes!
Made for dinner this evening. It was delicious just like all of the other recipes I have tried from you. Thank you!
Thank you, Kelly! Happy you enjoyed this one!
Looks awesome!!! Love your stuff.
Thank you, Donna!
This is the absolute Best Chicken Piccata recipe ever! Everyone went back for seconds! I can’t wait to make this again! When ever I attempt a new dish, Sip and Feast is my go to! Jim’s recipe’s always result in success! Thanks again for another delicious dinner!
Hey Kristan, Nothing makes me happier than hearing a success story like that. Really glad I’m up on your list of go-to recipe sites. Thanks!
Hi Jim, If I was going to make this dish for 8 people, would I need to triple the ingredients?
Hi Loren, the recipe serves 4 so for 8 you’d double the recipe.
Delicious and came out perfectly. Excellent recipe!
Great to hear, Heidi! Thanks for the comment.
I enjoy making all of your dishes. My family loves them all. You make it very simple to follow. Thanks again! Jeanette Lombardo
Hi Jeanette. Glad you’re enjoying all the recipes. Thanks for the comment.
James, Can I make this with thighs? I really prefer thighs over breast. More flavor. Love your videos.
Thanks
Barry Ray
Hi Barry. You can definitely use chicken thighs. I would use boneless-skinless flattened out. They will probably take a bit longer than the chicken breasts. Enjoy!
I lucked out and originally found Jim on YouTube. I’ve watched many of his videos and they’re all fantastic and easy to follow. I made the chicken piccata and it was a crowd pleaser. It has been requested by my family that I make this dish again. Chicken piccata is on the rotation for sure but I’m going to make his chicken parm recipe next.
Hi Bobby. Glad you’re enjoying the videos. It seems most people are finding me on YouTube first. I’m happy to hear that the piccata was a hit and I hope you like the chicken parm just as much.