This Chicken Piccata recipe is quick and easy to make and will absolutely WOW your taste buds! Featuring a lemon-wine-butter-caper sauce, this classic Italian dish is absolutely mouthwatering!
Chicken Piccata is a prime example of a dish that’s quick and easy to make but will leave your guests thinking you’re a gourmet cook. Though quick and easy to make it doesn’t cut corners on taste and is tantalizingly delicious.  Chicken breasts are sliced in half and then seasoned, dredged in flour, fried crispy golden and served with a tangy lemon-wine-butter-caper sauce made from the pan drippings. This Chicken Piccata recipe is something that belongs in everyone’s cooking repertoire!
Piccata originated in Italy where it is traditionally made with veal. Here in the U.S. chicken has replaced veal as the more popular choice. The delicateness of chicken lends itself perfectly to piccata but you can also make it with pork or stay true to Italian tradition and use veal.
Chicken piccata is best served immediately so that some of the crispiness remains after its dredged in the sauce. And once the chicken is breaded and fried don’t let it wait around too long or it will likewise lose its crisp texture. Even so, crispy or not, chicken piccata can be reheated and enjoyed as leftovers.
What to Serve with Chicken PiccataÂ
Chicken piccata is traditionally served with pasta but if you prefer you can serve it with mashed or smashed potatoes or herbed/lemon rice. Or, as a low carb alternative, serve it over zucchini noodles.
Sides that pair well with chicken piccata include roasted vegetables, sautéed spinach, asparagus, corn on the cob, or a leafy green salad.
Chicken Piccata Recipe
Let’s get started!
Sprinkle each side of the chicken cutlets with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Place the flour on a plate and dredge the chicken pieces in it, thoroughly coating each side. Â Shake off the excess flour.
Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Â Place the chicken pieces in the pan.
Fry until golden brown, about 4 minutes on each side. Â Transfer the chicken to a warmed oven.
Add the garlic and shallots and cook for a minute, adding a little extra butter if needed. Â Add the white wine and boil until reduced in half.
Stir together the chicken broth, lemon juice and flour and add it to the pan, whisking to combine.  Let the sauce simmer until thickened, a minute or two. Add the capers, parsley and butter. Add salt and pepper to taste.
We’re using our favorite chicken broth from Aneto. Based just outside Barcelona, Spain, Aneto’s broths are 100% all-natural in every sense of the term. We had the opportunity to tour their factory and witness the entire broth-making process from start to finish. Fresh vegetables and chicken are brought in daily, washed and prepared and placed in gigantic pots and slow simmered for hours before being cooled, packaged, and shipped across Europe and the United States. There are absolutely ZERO fillers, preservatives, extracts, “added flavors”, powders or anything of the sort. Just real, whole ingredients that are prepared with a recipe – not a formula – and made like we make it in our own kitchen. You can read more about or Aneto factory tour.  Their broths can be purchased in select stores across the U.S. or here on Amazon (the 6-pack is the best deal).
Return the chicken to the pan and spoon some sauce over it.
Heat through.
Serve immediately. Traditionally chicken piccata is served with pasta. Alternatively you can serve it with potatoes or rice.
Enjoy!
For more delicious Italian recipes be sure to try our:
- Italian Pork Ribs
- Osso Buco
- Pasta alla Norma
- Fettuccine Alfredo
- Braciole
- Porchetta
- Focaccia
- Beef Ragu
- Lamb Ragu
- Fettuccine Alfredo
- Bolognese
- Tomato Risotto
- Polenta Lasagna
- Pizza Margherita
Chicken Piccata
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts , cut in half lengthwise and pounded to an even thickness
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- 1 shallot , minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup quality chicken broth (we use and recommend Aneto)
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup capers , rinsed and drained
- 2 tablespoons parsley
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
- sliced lemons for garnish
Instructions
- Sprinkle both sides of each chicken cutlet with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Spread the flour out on a plate and dredge each piece of chicken in the flour to thoroughly coat all sides. Shake to remove excess flour.Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the chicken until golden brown, about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate and keep warm in the oven.
- Add the garlic and shallot to the pan and fry for a minute, adding a little extra butter if needed. Add the wine and boil steadily, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until it is reduced by half.Combine the chicken broth, lemon juice and flour, stirring until dissolved. Add this mixture to the pan and simmer until thickened. Add the capers, parsley and butter.Return the chicken to the pan, coating with the sauce, and heat through for a minute. Add some sliced lemons for garnish. Serve immediately. Traditionally served with pasta. Alternatively can be served with potatoes or rice.
Nutrition
Colleen (Souffle Bombay) says
Wow does that sauce ever look rich & delicious! Gimmie a spoon (and a fork)! Yummo!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Colleen! :)
Rose | The Clean Dish says
Skipping the middle man seems to be a popular thing these days (Trader Joe’s is having a lot of success with it!) Thanks for introducing me to this company, we love to support smaller businesses!! (Relatively speaking, of course!) This Chicken Piccata is a dream!! YUM!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Rose! :)
Aly ~ Cooking In Stilettos says
I have only had Chicken Piccata in restaurants and your recipe breaks the process down so easy that I now can make it at home. My stiletto fund thanks you :)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Aly, glad I could help! :) I agree, so many of our restaurant favorites really are very simple to make – much cheaper and usually taste even better!
Steph @ Steph in Thyme says
Such a classic, a lovely Sunday night meal or even a weeknight meal. Anything with wine sauce is okay by me :)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
The perfect Sunday night meal, Steph, and it’s definitely quick enough for a weeknight meal, too!
Ginny McMeans says
Zacon Foods looks like a shopping heaven. I will have to get over there and check it out. Thanks for the great photos too!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s the great part of Zaycon, Ginny, is they come to YOU. You can just sit in the comfort of your car while they load up the goods :)
fabiola@notjustbaked says
I’ve never made chicken piccata, and it looks so easy to make. Totally doing this!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
It’s super easy, Fabiola, and super good!
Brandy M says
We LOVE Zaycon! I have never heard of Chicken Piccata, but it looks SOO good! I can’t believe I never heard of it before! Thanks for sharing.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Brandy, it’s such a yummy dish, you’ll love it!
Lauren @ Healthy Delicious says
The sauce on the chicken looks glorious! That sheen!! <3
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Lauren! :)
Lauren Kelly Nutrition says
Chicken piccata is my all time favorite! This looks delicious!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Lauren, it’s one of our favorites, too!
Carolyn says
That looks like such a beautiful version of chicken piccata!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Carolyn, it’s always a big hit around here!
Annie @ Annie's Noms says
I’ve still not got round to making Piccata, but I really need to as this looks fabulous!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Annie! Such a delicious, easy dish!
Michele says
Excellent! Very delicious and easy to make. Can’t wait to make it again.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed it, Michele, thank you!
Behroze says
Hi Kimberly I love receiving your recipes but the problem is white wine. Will it make a difference if I use red wine instead of white since red wine is always there at my home. thanks, Behroze
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Behroze, it will definitely change the flavor profile. I recommend going with white if you have a store nearby, but I have heard of some people using red wine in this dish. If you decide to use red let us know how the combination works!
Corinne says
This looks and sounds absolutely wonderful! I have it bookmarked to make very soon :)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Corinne! Happy cooking!
Sandra J. says
One of my absolute faves but I’ve only ever had it in restaurants. This DOES look easy! I’m so making it this weekend, thank you, thank you!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
It’s crazy easy, Sandra, and you’re going to love it! :)