Description
Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata is a delicious and tangy dish featuring tender pan-fried chicken breasts smothered in a rich and creamy lemon-caper sauce, perfect for serving over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5–8 oz. each)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup flour
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water (optional)
Garnish
- Lemon slices, to garnish
Instructions
- Pound and Season Chicken: Pound the chicken breasts to an even 1-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
- Dredge Chicken in Flour: Coat the chicken breasts in flour, shaking off any excess to ensure a light, even coating.
- Pan-Fry Chicken: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter along with the olive oil. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown on each side, about 5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate.
- Sauté Garlic: Reduce the heat to medium-low and melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the skillet. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
- Make Sauce: Pour in the chicken broth and scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan for extra flavor. Add the heavy cream and bring the sauce to a gentle boil.
- Add Flavorings: Stir in capers, lemon juice, and chopped parsley. Taste the sauce and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Thicken Sauce: Let the sauce simmer gently until it reduces slightly and thickens. For a quicker thickening, stir in the optional cornstarch slurry and cook for an additional minute until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
- Reheat Chicken: Return the chicken breasts to the pan, spoon the sauce over them, and simmer for 1-2 minutes to heat through and absorb flavor.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with additional chopped parsley and lemon slices. Serve hot over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes with vegetables for a complete meal.
Notes
- Deglaze with white wine: Add a splash of dry white wine after sautéing garlic to enhance the flavor before adding chicken broth. Let the wine cook off completely.
- Add Parmesan cheese: Sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan into the sauce for a richer, cheesier flavor.
- Extra seasoning: Season the chicken with paprika and garlic powder along with salt and pepper for extra depth.
- Spicy variation: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce for a subtle heat.
- Use cornstarch slurry to thicken sauce faster if in a hurry.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 19 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
