The ultimate easy meal that will impress family or guests is this Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata! The chicken is lightly breaded and pan-fried resulting in tender, juicy chicken with a crisp coating and served with a creamy lemon caper sauce.
For busy families, 30-minute meals are lifesavers, but it’s an even bigger bonus when they seem fancy or impressive, like this Chinese Chow Mein, Mongolian Beef, and Hibachi Chicken.
We’re going for amazing homemade Italian here, and I can tell you right now that Chicken Piccata (pick-ah-tah) wil be a winner every time! If you’ve ever had it at a restaurant you may have had chicken or veal and it’s typically breaded, fried and served with a creamy sauce. It’s a popular recipe found at many Italian restaurants (sometimes called Chicken Limone) but it’s SO easy and yummy made at home. Serve it over mashed potatoes or angel hair pasta with roasted veggies on the side.
What I LOVE about Chicken Piccata:
- 30 minute meal
- Kid friendly. My kids LOVED this meal (capers and all!). They were literally licking their plates clean. And I’d dare to say it is just as delicious as the version at Brio, and very easy to make.
- Fancy but not fancy. This easy meal looks like you spent days in the kitchen but it comes together so fast!
How to Make Lemon Chicken Piccata:
1. Slice chicken Breasts. Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally (“butterfly” cutting them) so that you’re left with 4 thin chicken breasts. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Dredge Chicken. In three separate bowls, prepare a beaten egg, flour, and breadcrumbs for dredging. Coat the chicken on both sides in the flour, then egg wash, and then breadcrumbs.
3. Pan fry. Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Set aside onto a plate.
4. Make sauce. To the same pan, add chicken broth, cream, juice from both lemons, and capers. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Allow the sauce to cook and bubble for about 3-5 minutes. Return chicken to pan and coat with sauce.
5. Serve the chicken and sauce over mashed potatoes or hot cooked pasta.
Serve with:
- Roasted Vegetables
- French Green Beans
- Side salad
- Shredded Brussels Sprouts
- Homemade Rolls
- Homemade Olive Garden Breadsticks
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Chicken Piccata
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tablespoon water
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 lemons
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup capers
- hot cooked pasta or mashed potatoes for serving
Instructions
- Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally ("butterfly" cutting them) so that you're left with 4 thin chicken breasts. Season with salt and pepper.
- Beat the egg in a shallow bowl with 1 tablespoon of water. Add the flour to another shallow bowl, and the breadcrumbs to a third shallow bowl.
- Coat the chicken on both sides in the flour, then egg wash, and then breadcrumbs.
- Heat 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Set aside onto a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium low. Add chicken broth, cream, juice from both lemons, and capers. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Allow the sauce to cook and bubble for about 3-5 minutes. Return chicken to pan.
- Serve the chicken and sauce over mashed potatoes or hot cooked pasta.
- Serve with a side of Roasted Vegetables, steamed broccoli or green beans.
Nutrition
Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman.
I originally shared this recipe December 2015. Updated February 2020 with process photos and instructions and a new video.
Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
Heather Watts says
one of our staples
Beckie says
This is MY FAVORITE recipe I have cooked from this site! Super easy and beyond yummy! I loved the brine from the capers and the lemon together. My whole family loved it!
Lauren Allen says
Thanks so much Beckie! Love to hear that!
Claudia says
Omg!!!!! I’ve never cooked with Cappers, and this recipe was simply easy and amazing. My one year old loved the sauce over the mashed potatoes, and did my super picky 8 year old. Can’t thank enough.
Lauren Allen says
Total win when your picky eaters approve! Thanks so much for sharing Claudia!!
Lindsey says
This will always be one of our go-to meals! SOOOO good! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Elizabeth says
Love this recipe! I’ve tried 4-5 creamy lemony chicken piccata dishes and were nothing to write about. I followed your recipe exactly… especially important the little bit of water in the egg so the end result doesn’t leave your coating falling off. I’ve now made this twice and learned that my family like the juice of one lemon versus too. An easy and delicious recipe which I have shared with many friends as I posted the result on my FB page. It’s definitely a staple for my family.
Lauren Allen says
I am so glad it turned out well for you!
Jaimie Smith says
I made this last night and it turned out great, the sauce with a little thin but the flavor was really good!!
Britt says
This has become a family favorite!
Pat says
My hubby is on dialysis and isn’t supposed to have milk/cream. He is supposed to substitute with Coffemate creamer. Could I use that instead of the cream?
Lauren Allen says
That would be fine 🙂
Kara says
This was super yummy! This was a different flavor for my family (they are used to red sauce with Italian dishes) but they devoured it! I flattened my chicken breasts after butterflying them so they were even thickness. I doubled the recipe and also found I needed more than double flour and bread crumbs. Served with angel hair pasta – so good!