Lemon Caper Chicken is a classic Italian dish consisting of simple ingredients for an easy chicken dinner. This creamy lemon chicken piccata consists of chicken pieces that are dredged in a flour mixture and cooked in melted butter in a large skillet until golden brown.
The chicken is then coated in a creamy lemon sauce with tangy capers. Enjoy this easy chicken piccata recipe over a bed of pasta with extra lemony sauce and various side dishes.
This lemon chicken dinner is one of our go to meals - a top restaurant quality! Try more Mediterranean favorites like Chicken Cacciatore or Tuscan Chicken (also called Marry Me Chicken) or Mediterranean Pasta Salad.
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Ingredients
- Chicken - I've used a 1 ½ pound thinner chicken breast, cut in half. Chicken cutlets can also be used.
- Flour - for dredging. I use gluten-free all-purpose flour but if you're not gluten-free, simply use regular all-purpose flour. Another great gluten free ''flour'' for dredging is almond flour, which I like to use for my buffalo cauliflower wings.
- Chicken broth/stock - enhance the flavor of the sauce with chicken broth or opt for the luxury of a dry white wine like pinot grigio. Elevate your dish with a burst of deliciousness!
- Lemon juice - freshly squeezed lemon juice is best. You will also need lemon zest from the lemon to add to this dish.
- Canned capers - bursting with briny goodness, these little flavor powerhouses beautifully complement the refreshing zest of lemon. Use capers in brine rather than salted. If they are salted I recommend giving them a quick rinse before measuring out.
- Parsley - freshly chopped. I like to stir it in the sauce, but it is optional and you can use it only for garnish.
- Shallot - finely diced. Shallot works well for any kind of sauce for its texture, sweeter delicate flavor than regular onion.
- Minced garlic - I prefer fresh, but garlic powder could work too. For a milder sauce, you can leave the garlic out.
- Parmesan cheese - Freshly grated.
- Cooking oil - Olive oil, Canola oil, or vegetable oil.
- Butter - salted or unsalted, you can use both. We also love using ghee.
- Salt and black pepper - to taste, especially if using salted butter.
Check the step-by-step photos below the recipe card.
Lemon Caper Sauce
The caper sauce combines fresh lemon juice, butter, lemon zest, chicken broth, and capers. It simmers and reduces, blending the rich flavors with the caramelized bits from frying the chicken.
Tip: To achieve a luscious and thick texture, towards the end, we whisk in more cold butter to create an emulsion. Be sure to incorporate the butter gently over low heat to maintain the sauce's smoothness without breaking.
What Are Capers?
Capers, the pickled flower buds of the Capparis spinosa shrub, bring intense and distinctive flavors to the dish. These tiny spheres offer a spicy, salty, and tangy taste add a unique element to many dishes.
In this recipe, I added a very minimal amount - ¼ cup of capers, but feel free to double or triple it if you love the flavor.
If you don't have capers, there are plenty of simple replacements to substitute capers.
Tips
- Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. Thinner chicken breasts are best for this dish, or you could butterfly the chicken breasts. Chicken cutlets and boneless skinless chicken thighs are also an option. But take care not the overcook them and check for doneness with a kitchen thermometer - chicken is ready when internal temperature reaches 165 F.
- If you don't feel comfortable with chicken breast, you can use chicken tenders or boneless skinless chicken thighs instead (these will take longer to cook and will look darker).
- Don't hold back on seasoning! Be generous with salt and pepper in the flour and make sure to season the chicken before dredging.
- Flatten the chicken for even cooking - Pounding the chicken breast tenderizes the meat and helps to cook the chicken evenly.
- Keep the chicken warm by placing it on a foil-covered plate while you make the sauce.
- For perfectly golden chicken, fry the cutlets on high heat. Each side needs 4-5 minutes of cooking time, so you may need to cook them in batches. Enjoy the crispy exterior and juicy interior of these delicious cutlets!
- Dredging the chicken in flour and seasoning creates a delicious golden-brown crust once pan-seared.
- Avoid overcrowding the pan to ensure the browning of the chicken breasts. You may need to cook in batches.
- Making the piccata sauce in the same pan used to cook the chicken adds more flavor to the sauce.
- Reducing the chicken stock mixture and adding extra butter towards the end of the recipe thickens the sauce.
- This recipe is often made with white wine instead of chicken broth. It's all about the taste, white wine will add acidity that helps to tenderize meat and add more rich flavor and fruity notes to the sauce. Don't use any expensive wines in sauces, it's unnecessary. Reducing the wine eliminates any winey taste in the sauce, as the alcohol cooks off and leaves behind a concentrated flavor. This adds depth to the sauce without overpowering it.
- Pour extra sauce over the cooked chicken before serving with fresh parsley or lemon slices.
- Gluten-free piccata is traditionally served with pasta (spaghetti or angel hair pasta) but also pairs well with rice and mashed potatoes.
- It's best to serve this dish immediately as the sauce quickly starts to thicken after setting.
- This great dish pairs beautifully with a glass of Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or other dry white wine.
Julia's Tip
Love more sauce? Double up the sauce ingredients! The sauce will thicken as it sits and it is always a good idea to have some extra for drizzling over your side dish.
Serving Suggestions
- Sides. Enjoy this dish with classic mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes roasted green beans for a complete meal. It also pairs wonderfully with gluten-free pasta, zucchini noodles, rice or cauliflower rice, and a side of Mediterranean cucumber or spinach salad. Don't forget to sprinkle freshly grated parmesan cheese on top for an extra touch of deliciousness.
- Top your favorite risotto with a portion of lemon caper chicken.
- Veggies - To keep it low carb, skip the grains and serve with sauteed or roasted cheesy asparagus, roasted cherry tomatoes, mashed parsnips, eggplant or green beans, and broccoli.
Freezing And Storing Instructions
- To Store leftovers, place your chicken and sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. Although the chicken won't retain its crispiness, it still makes a fantastic option for a work lunch.
- To Freeze. I don't recommend freezing as the texture of the chicken will change.
Can You Make This In Advance And Reheat?
For the best taste, it's ideal to savor chicken on the same day it's cooked. Reheating is possible, but keep in mind that the flour coating might turn a bit soggy and the sauce may lose its emulsion.
To reheat, place the chicken in a pan with the sauce and warm it over medium heat until it's heated through. Give the sauce a whisk before drizzling it over the chicken. You may need to make some extra sauce separately.
Variations
- Seafood Piccata - Create a seafood twist by replacing the chicken with a flaky white fish, salmon, or shrimp. For the fish, follow the same recipe instructions but no need to batter the shrimp.
- Pork Piccata - Another popular version for this recipe is making a Pork Piccata by using Thin boneless pork cutlets.
- Chicken Piccata With Artichokes - Some variations also include a tasty addition - canned artichoke hearts. Dice them very finely and add to the sauce with capers or instead of capers.
- Creamy Chicken Piccata - Stir in ½ cup of heavy cream or coconut cream. Allow the sauce to simmer until thickened.
More Healthy Italian Chicken Recipes:
- Mediterranean Chicken Thighs
- Creamy Tomato Chicken (Tuscan Chicken)
- Chicken Cacciatore Chicken Thighs
- Chicken Parmesan or vegetarian Eggplant Parmesan
For a full collection hop on to our Dinner recipe collection.
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Recipe Card
Lemon Caper Chicken (Piccata)
Ingredients
Method
- Rinse and pat dry chicken. Pound the chicken breast halves until more or less flat and even looking. Or you can use chicken cutlets instead.
- Mix together salt, black pepper, flour, and parmesan in a shallow dish. Toss the pieces of chicken in the mixture until fully coated.
- Heat 3 tablespoon cooking oil and 3 tablespoon butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Once the butter melted, cook the chicken on both sides for 3-4 minutes per side. If needed, do it in batches, and don't overcrowd the pan. Remove the chicken to a plate.
- Add shallot, saute for 2 minutes, and add garlic. Saute for 30 seconds more. Add more olive oil if needed.
- Pour in chicken stock and deglaze the pan. Allow the mixture to simmer and to reduce in size by half. Once ready, stir in lemon zest and juice. Add remaining butter (2 tablespoon of cold butter), and capers, return the chicken and coat it a couple of times, and serve with fresh parsley.
Nutrition
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Let us know how it was!Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.
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How To Make Lemon Caper Chicken Step By Step
- Prepare your chicken cutlets, rinse and then pat dry with paper towels. Pound the chicken breast halves.
- Mix together salt, black pepper, flour, and parmesan in a shallow dish. Toss the pieces of chicken in the mixture until fully coated.
- Heat 3 tablespoon cooking oil and 3 tablespoon butter in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the butter melted, cook the chicken on both sides for 3-4 minutes per side. If needed, do it in batches, and don't overcrowd the pan. Remove the chicken to a plate.
- Add shallot, saute for 2 minutes, and add garlic. Add more olive oil if needed. Saute for 30 seconds more.
- Pour in chicken stock and deglaze the pan. Allow the mixture to reduce in size by half. Stir in lemon zest and juice.
- Add remaining butter (2 tablespoons cold butter), capers, and return the chicken. Coat the chicken a couple of times, and serve with fresh parsley.
FAQ
If you're in need of a simple replacement or don't have capers on hand, explore this guide with 14 easy substitutes for capers.
Marinating chicken in lemon juice, vinegar, or yogurt makes it juicier and tastier. Lemon's acidity breaks down proteins, tenderizing the meat and adding a tangy flavor.
Fresh lemon juice (and lime juice) usually lasts about a day at room temperature or up to 4 days in the fridge when stored properly. Due to its short shelf life, it's best to use it promptly to avoid waste.
Lemon can dry out chicken, especially if it's overcooked. However, incorporating lemon slices or juice or using lemon oil in your chicken recipe can help mitigate this drying effect.
Ngk
Very good!! Next time more sauce less capers!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
thank you, glad you liked it!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
Crispy on the outside and perfectly juicy chicken cutlets in tangy lemon caper sauce - a perfect meal for any day of the week!