Description
This Lemon Chicken Piccata recipe features juicy, pan-seared chicken cutlets finished with a bright and silky lemon-caper sauce. Ready in 30 minutes, it’s a perfect weeknight dinner that’s simple to make and delicious, especially served over mashed potatoes with a garnish of fresh parsley and lemon wedges.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 4 chicken cutlets (~1 to 1 ¼ lbs)
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (use gluten-free flour, if needed)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth, homemade or store-bought
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (juice of ½ lemon)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Optional for Serving
- Mashed potatoes
- Lemon wedges or slices
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Slice the chicken breasts in half crosswise to create 4 cutlets and lightly pound each between sheets of plastic wrap until about ½” thick.
- Coat the chicken: In a shallow bowl, combine flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Toss each cutlet in the flour mixture until evenly coated and transfer to a plate, discarding unused flour.
- Cook the chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the cutlets without moving them and cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes until nearly cooked through. Ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer to a clean plate.
- Prepare the sauce base: Reduce heat to low, add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and minced garlic to the skillet. Stir continuously for about 30 seconds to prevent burning.
- Add liquids and reduce: Increase heat to medium-high and add chicken broth, capers, and Dijon mustard. Stir and scrape browned bits from the pan, cooking until the liquid reduces by half, about 3 minutes.
- Finish the sauce: Stir in butter vigorously until melted and sauce becomes glossy, about 1 minute.
- Combine chicken and sauce: Return chicken to skillet, spoon sauce over cutlets, and simmer for about 2 minutes until chicken is fully cooked and sauce lightly coats a spoon. Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice, and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve: Transfer chicken to a serving plate, spoon sauce on top, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve with mashed potatoes and lemon wedges if desired. Leftovers keep for up to 3 days refrigerated.
Notes
- Make sure the chicken is pounded evenly to ensure uniform cooking.
- Use gluten-free flour as a substitute if you need a gluten-free version.
- The sauce thickens more as it cools, so serve immediately for the best texture.
- Internal temperature for cooked chicken should be 165°F to ensure safety.
- For extra flavor, homemade chicken broth enhances the sauce but store-bought works well too.
- When cooking garlic, stir continuously to avoid bitterness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe without mashed potatoes
- Calories: 232 kcal
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 542 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 78 mg
