Description
Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata is a flavorful and comforting dish featuring tender chicken breasts cooked in a luscious lemon, caper, and cream sauce. Perfect for a quick dinner served over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5–8 oz. each)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup flour
For Cooking
- 3 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
Sauce
- 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
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Pound the chicken breasts to an even 1 inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Dredge Chicken: Coat the chicken thoroughly in flour, shaking off any excess flour before cooking.
- Cook Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pan-fry the chicken breasts for about 5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate.
- Sauté Garlic: In the same skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds, being careful not to burn it.
- Deglaze and Make Sauce: Reduce heat to medium-low. Pour in the chicken broth and scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan for flavor. Add in the heavy cream and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
- Add Flavorings: Stir in the capers, lemon juice, and chopped parsley. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Thicken Sauce: Let the sauce simmer gently until it thickens slightly. For a thicker sauce quickly, add the optional cornstarch slurry and stir until the sauce is creamy and smooth.
- Finish Chicken: Return the cooked chicken breasts to the pan, spoon the sauce over them, and simmer for 1-2 minutes until the chicken is warmed through.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with additional parsley and lemon slices. Serve the creamy lemon chicken piccata hot over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes with vegetables.
Notes
- Deglaze with wine: Add a splash of dry white wine to the pan before the chicken broth to enhance flavor, letting the wine cook off first.
- Add Parmesan: Stir freshly grated Parmesan into the sauce for an extra rich and savory taste.
- Seasoning Boost: Season the chicken with paprika and garlic powder along with salt and pepper before dredging for added depth of flavor.
- Spice Variation: Add red pepper flakes to the sauce for a slight spicy kick.
- Use a meat mallet or rolling pin to evenly pound chicken breasts to ensure even cooking.
- Serve with your choice of sides like pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables for a complete meal.
