Creamy Chicken Piccata (Printable)

Tender pan-fried chicken in a bright lemon and caper cream sauce. Elegant, comforting, and ready in just 35 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.3 lbs)
02 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
03 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Sauce

07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 0.5 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
09 - 0.5 cup low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 0.5 cup heavy cream
11 - 0.25 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
12 - 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
14 - Salt and black pepper to taste

# Step-by-Step:

01 - Place chicken breasts between two sheets of parchment paper and pound to 0.5-inch thickness using a meat mallet. Season both sides evenly with salt and pepper.
02 - Coat chicken breasts in flour, shaking off excess flour to ensure an even, light coating.
03 - Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with aluminum foil.
04 - Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the same skillet. Sauté minced garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Pour in white wine or chicken broth and simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the pan bottom, until the liquid reduces by half, approximately 2 minutes.
06 - Add chicken broth, heavy cream, and lemon juice. Stir well and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
07 - Stir in capers and return chicken to the skillet. Spoon sauce over chicken and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to heat through completely.
08 - Transfer chicken and sauce to serving plates. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Serve immediately with pasta, rice, or crusty bread.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like a fancy restaurant dish but uses ingredients you probably already have.
  • The creamy lemon sauce is so good you will want to lick the plate, and nobody will judge you.
  • Everything happens in one skillet, which means less cleanup and more time to enjoy dinner.
  • The brightness of the lemon and the salty pop of capers make every bite feel vibrant and alive.
02 -
  • Do not skip pounding the chicken; thick breasts will be dry on the outside and raw in the middle.
  • Use fresh lemon juice, not bottled, or the sauce will taste flat and artificial.
  • Let the wine reduce properly or the sauce will be too thin and taste too boozy.
  • Rinse the capers well or they will overpower the dish with saltiness.
03 -
  • Make sure your skillet is hot before adding the chicken or it will steam instead of sear.
  • Do not crowd the pan; cook in batches if needed so each piece gets a golden crust.
  • Taste the sauce before serving and adjust the lemon, salt, or pepper to your preference.
  • If the sauce gets too thick, thin it with a splash of broth or pasta water.
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