Description
Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata is a delightful 30-minute meal featuring tender, lightly breaded chicken breasts pan-fried to golden perfection and smothered in a rich garlic, caper, and lemon cream sauce. Perfect served over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes with vegetables for a satisfying dinner.
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, to thicken)
Garnish
- Lemon slices, to garnish
- Additional parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Pound the chicken breasts to an even 1-inch thickness using a meat mallet. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
- Dredge the Chicken: Coat each chicken breast lightly in flour, shaking off any excess flour to prevent clumping.
- Pan-Fry the Chicken: Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chicken and cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside on a plate.
- Sauté Garlic: Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the same skillet. Add minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
- Create the Sauce Base: Reduce heat to medium-low. Pour in chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir in the heavy cream and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
- Add Flavorings: Stir in capers, lemon juice, and chopped parsley. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Thicken the Sauce: Let the sauce simmer gently until it reduces slightly and becomes thicker. For a quicker thickening, add the cornstarch slurry and stir until sauce coats the back of a spoon.
- Finish Cooking: Return the chicken to the pan, spooning sauce over each piece. Simmer for 1-2 minutes to heat the chicken through and meld the flavors.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with additional parsley and lemon slices. Serve hot over your choice of pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes, accompanied by vegetables.
Notes
- Use a meat mallet or rolling pin to ensure the chicken cooks evenly and stays tender.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the flour with a gluten-free flour blend.
- If you prefer a lighter sauce, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, though the sauce will be less rich.
- The cornstarch slurry is optional but helps speed up thickening for a creamier sauce consistency.
- Serve with steamed vegetables or a fresh side salad for a balanced meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg
