Lemon Chicken Piccata
Lemon Chicken Piccata is an easy to make weeknight dinner ready in just 30 minutes! It is loaded with bright tangy flavor from the lemon and capers and topped off with fresh dill for a fresh chicken dish the whole family will love.
Back to school is right around the corner where we are, which means it is time for EASY weeknight meals that the entire family will love!
This Lemon Chicken Piccata is super simple to make (with just a few ingredients) and has a flavor that will blow your mind. It is one of my go-to meals for a busy week when my hubby and I just don’t feel like spending much time in the kitchen. Take a look for yourself at how delicious it is.
First Published: August 2017 Last Updated: October 14, 2020
Best Chicken Piccata Recipe
This Chicken Piccata is a great meal for entertaining on a low budget, people will think you spent hours in the kitchen with the depth of flavor that it brings to the table, and you can really pretty it up on a nice serving tray! And thanks to the pounding out of the chicken breasts you don’t need as many to serve your guests.
If you are trying to impress the in-laws this is a good recipe to have in your back pocket (wink wink). If you love easy, low maintenance meals with tons of flavor be sure to also check out my Beef Stroganoff as well (one of the most visited recipes on the entire site!).
Another reason I love this dish so much is its versatility, you can use chicken breasts or thighs and you don't need to worry about the bones if you want to serve it a little more rustic I say go for it...who is gonna judge you?!
Just remember to adjust your cooking time if you choose thighs or a bone-in chicken breast as it will take a little bit longer to cook through.
Ingredients
A simple list of ingredients for this chicken piccata make it a favorite for any family.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
- AP Flour
- Corn Starch
- Garlic Powder
- Lemon
- Fresh Dill
- Capers
- White Wine or Chicken broth if you prefer
- Water
- Salt and Pepper
- Olive Oil
Variations
You know we are all about accommodating the many types of eaters we have so here are a few substitutions/variations we have made in the past that don't change the flavor of this dish.
- Use chicken thighs (with or without the bone in) to save even more on cost - remember to cook them longer!
- Don't have fresh dill on hand? No worries, we have used dill paste MANY times and it has turned out just as yummy.
- If you don't like capers you can easily omit them in this recipe - I would simply add a tbsp of pickle juice if you have it on hand to give the same salty/sour flavor.
- Alcohol free - you can definitely sub the white wine for either chicken or vegetable stock with no change to the dish.
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Frequently asked questions
Chicken piccata is an Italian dish that is essentially chicken breast (though we have determined you can use other cuts) pounded out and dredged in flour and spices before being sauteed with a delicious lemon caper sauce.
This dish is so versatile and can be served with any kind of rice. You can also make a delicious Chicken Piccata Pasta by serving it on top of your favorite pasta type. We have also served it over baby spinach for a healthier dinner option.
Chicken piccata is incredibly easy to make, and is suitable for even the beginner cook.
You simply start by pounding out chicken breast until about 1/4" thin. The chicken is then dredged in a flour mixture before being added to a hot pan to fully brown.
Once the chicken is done you remove it from the pan and make the tasty lemon caper sauce by combining the wine, water, lemon juice and capers and allowing it to come to a boil before adding the chicken back in to soak it up.
Lemon Chicken Piccata Recipe
Easy Chicken Piccata recipe with capers, lemon and dill that is ready and on the table in 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
- 1/4 c Flour
- 3 tbsp Corn Starch
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 Lemon, zested and juiced
- 1/2 bunch Fresh Dill, rough chopped
- 1 tsp Capers, rough chopped
- 1/4 c White Wine, or Chicken broth if you prefer
- 1/4 c Water
- Salt and Pepper
- Olive Oil, for cooking
Instructions
- Prepare your chicken for dredging by cutting it into smaller sections and gently pounding out with a meat tenderizer (or rolling pin) you want your chicken to be very thin so it cooks quickly. In a low sided dish mix together flour, corn starch ,garlic powder and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- In a large skillet heat 2-3 tbsp olive oil (or oil of your choice for frying) over medium heat.
- Coat each piece of chicken with your flour mixture, gently shaking off any excess, and put aside on a plate. When all pieces are coated, begin cooking them. Be sure to let them cook 2-3 mins a side and flip. Repeat until all chicken is cooked (we normally do it in 2 batches).
- Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and add in wine, water, lemon juice and capers. Scrape up any bits from the chicken and let your sauce come to a low simmer. Add the chicken back into the pan with 1/2 of your chopped dill and let cook 2 mins until sauce is thick.
- Arrange chicken on a serving dish and top with the rest of your dill and lemon zest.
Notes
If using chicken with the bone in still be sure to adjust your cooking time, it will take longer to cook through.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1.5 piecesAmount Per Serving: Calories: 199Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 69mgSodium: 275mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 26g
*Please note that nutritional values are not always 100% accurate and are to be used as a guide.
More like this
- Moroccan Chicken Stew with Sweet Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Sesame Chicken
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Italian Baked Chicken - The Mediterranean Dish
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Barbara Grealey
Sunday 23rd of February 2020
Made this tonite for dinner, very tasty. Cutting up the chicken breasts and pounding them you get a lot more servings per chicken breast. I served asparagus risotto as a side and it went well with the lemony flavour of the sauce, made me think of Spring! I'll be adding this to our dinner rotation and would serve this to company too!
oliveblogger
Tuesday 25th of February 2020
It's just an easy weeknight dinner, I love that you made risotto too!!! Sounds like a winning combination! YUM
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themomnoms
Tuesday 29th of August 2017
Chicken piccata is one of my favorite meals in the world. I am going to have to try your recipe out really soon!
oliveblogger
Wednesday 30th of August 2017
I hope you love it as much as we do!!