This Chicken Piccata recipe is one of the best chicken recipes I've ever made. Picture a silky lemon, capers, and butter sauce, with a little bit of chicken stock and parmesan all soaked into succulent pieces of fried chicken cutlets. It's incredible served with pasta, rice, or salad. I really hope you enjoy the recipe!
When I tell you that this chicken piccata recipe is slightly addictive, I'm not lying. I could eat it for dinner every night of the week. The tanginess from the lemon, the softness from the chicken breast, and the saltiness from the capers are just a match made in heaven. Make sure to check out my post all about what to serve with chicken piccata for a number of easy and tasty side dish options!
You can serve the lemony chicken with pasta, rice, potatoes, or salad, but some of my favourite dishes to eat it with are lemon boursin pasta, pea and asparagus orzo, my garlic and chili confit orzo recipe, or my goat cheese pasta that's made in one pot!
There's nothing better than a delicious creamy chicken recipe, and so if you're looking for more, then check out my cheesy baked chicken in cream of chicken soup or my quick baked pesto chicken recipe. For a more Asian-style chicken recipe, then you've got to check out my scallion chicken or my honey ginger chicken recipe. For a thanksgiving special, check out my stuffed chicken breast with stuffing recipe!
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Why you'll love this recipe
Simple: Despite it's fancy name "chicken piccata" - the Italian word 'piccata' means sautéed in a sauce containing a variety of ingredients including butter, lemon, and herbs - it's actually a very easy dish to make. It includes slicing the chicken breast in half to thin them out, followed by coating them in a flour mixture, then frying them until golden. Using the same pan, it then involves making a simple citrusy salty sauce made from pantry ingredients.
Meal prep: This chicken recipe is actually fantastic for meal prep. You can double or triple this recipe to make enough for the week. Serve alongside pasta, rice, salad, or potatoes to make it a substantial meal.
Crowd-pleaser: Although this chicken piccata recipe is really easy to make, it's a fancy dish to serve and always impresses guests.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Chicken breast: For this recipe, you'll need two chicken breasts that you then slice in half horizontally to create four thin portions. You could absolutely use skinless and boneless chicken thighs for this recipe, they would be really juicy and a great option. If you're looking to veganise this dish, using portobello mushrooms would be so delicious in this recipe, acting as the chicken. As would eggplant/aubergine discs.
Flour mixture: Combine plain flour, grated parmesan, salt, and pepper to then use to coat on the chicken breast. You can omit the parmesan if you don't have it, it's just for additional flavour.
Shallots: Sweet, flavourful and delicious, I love using shallots. You can also use diced white onion too.
Garlic: For extra flavour, I've used fresh raw garlic cloves. You can also use granules but I'd recommend getting the fresh stuff if you can.
Capers: I absolutely love capers, they add a gorgeous saltiness to any dish and are such a fun texture to bite into. If you don't have capers, I'd recommend subbing them out with finely chopped green olives or artichoke hearts. The flavour won't be the same but it will provide you with that fun green light slightly salty texture.
Lemon: This adds the bulk of the flavour to our chicken piccata. I highly recommend using fresh lemons for this. But worst case scenario, use store bought lemon juice.
Chicken stock: To create a tasty sauce, we're using chicken stock. You can also use veggie stock if you want to make it vegetarian.
Butter: This adds silkiness to our sauce and extra flavour. Once again, use a plant-based alternative if you're making it veggie.
Parsley: Fresh parsley is perfect for this recipe. Finely chop it and it adds a lovely herbaceous and fresh flavour to the dish. If you don't have parsley, then I'd recommend using basil or thyme.
Step by step instructions with photos
Step 1: Using the sharpest knife you've got, slice your chicken breasts in half, horizontally, forming four thin pieces.
Step 2: Combine your flour, parmesan, salt, and pepper on a plate and then coat each chicken breast piece in the mixture and set aside.
Step 3: Place a frying pan/skillet on medium heat and drizzle in a tablespoon of olive oil. Add in your floured chicken breast pieces and cook on each side for 4 minutes until golden. Then remove and set aside while you make your sauce.
Step 4: Using the same chicken pan, add in a little drizzle of olive oil and then add in your shallots and garlic. Fry for 5 minutes until softened. Next, add in your capers and fry for a further 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Step 5: Pour in your chicken stock followed by the lemon juice. Reduce the heat and then add in your butter and leave to melt. Taste and season with salt, pepper, or more lemon based on your preferences.
Step 6: Add in your finely chopped parsley and give it a good stir.
Step 7: Place your chicken back into the pan and fry on low heat for a further 5 minutes, flipping halfway so that the chicken absorbs some of the sauce. Serve up your chicken piccata, spoon the sauce over the chicken, and enjoy with pasta, rice, or salad.
For the full recipe and ingredients list, keep scrolling until you get to the recipe card!
What to do with leftovers
Storage: Leave your chicken piccata to cool down and then store in airtight containers. Place in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezing: Once cooked, leave to cool and then place in an airtight container or freezer back with all the sauce. Place in the freezer for up to 3 months. Leave to thaw overnight in the fridge. Then follow the reheating instructions below.
Reheating: I'd recommend reheating the chicken in the pan. Place the pan on medium heat and add in your chicken breasts and sauce. To loosen up all the ingredients, add in 50-100ml chicken stock and leave to simmer for 5-10 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is piping hot.
FAQs
Chicken piccata is chicken breast halves, coated in flour, browned, and served with a sauce of butter, lemon juice, capers, and either stock or white wine.
Piccata is an Italian word literally translated to 'larded'. It basically involves sautéing a piece of meat and then cooking it in a sauce of butter, lemon, and seasonings.
For sure! Sub out the chicken breast for either portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced pieces of tofu, or eggplant/aubergine. Remove the parmesan from the flour mixture. Use veggie stock instead of chicken stock. Use plant-based butter. Enjoy!
Capers are really salty and add a great flavour to the dish. But if you don't have them or don't like them, then I'd recommend using finely chopped green olives or artichoke hearts. Season with more salt than usual to make up for the lack of saltiness from the capers.
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Chicken Piccata (the best version)
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts double this if you want two chicken cutlets each.
- 50g flour
- 10g parmesan grated
- 2 shallots finely sliced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoon capers
- 1 lemon juiced
- 200ml chicken stock
- 2 tablespoon salted butter
- 10g parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Using the sharpest knife you've got, slice your chicken breasts in half, horizontally, forming four thin cutlets.
- Combine your flour, parmesan, salt, and pepper on a plate and then coat each chicken breast piece in the mixture and set aside.
- Place a frying pan/skillet on medium heat and drizzle in a tablespoon of olive oil. Add in your floured chicken cutlets and cook on each side for 4 minutes until golden. Then remove and set aside while you make your sauce.
- Using the same chicken pan, add in a little drizzle of olive oil and then add in your shallots and garlic. Fry for 5 minutes until softened (stir regularly). Next, add in your capers and fry for a further 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Pour in your chicken stock followed by the lemon juice. Reduce the heat and then add in your butter and leave to melt. Give everything a good stir, then taste and season with salt, pepper, or more lemon based on your preferences.
- Add in your finely chopped parsley and give it a good stir.
- Place your fried chicken back into the pan and fry on low heat for a further 5 minutes, flipping halfway so that the chicken absorbs some of the sauce. Serve up your chicken piccata, spoon the sauce over the chicken, and enjoy with pasta, rice, or salad.
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