Description
This Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata recipe features tender pan-fried chicken breasts in a luscious lemon-caper cream sauce, perfect for a comforting and flavorful main dish. Serve over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes for a complete meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5–8 oz. each)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup flour
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 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)
- Lemon slices, to garnish
Instructions
- Pound and Season Chicken: Pound the chicken breasts to an even 1-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper evenly.
- Dredge Chicken: Coat the chicken breasts in flour, shaking off any excess flour to prevent clumping during cooking.
- Pan-Fry Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the chicken breasts for about 5 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the skillet 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, taking care not to burn it.
- Make the Sauce: Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in the chicken broth. Scrape up the browned bits from the pan to add flavor. Stir 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 adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Thicken Sauce: Let the sauce simmer gently until it reduces slightly and thickens naturally. Alternatively, whisk in the cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce more quickly, stirring constantly until desired consistency is reached.
- Combine Chicken and Sauce: Return the chicken breasts to the pan, spooning sauce over them. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until the chicken is heated through and infused with the sauce’s flavors.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with additional chopped parsley and lemon slices. Serve the creamy lemon chicken piccata hot over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes with vegetables for a complete meal.
Notes
- Deglaze with wine – For added depth of flavor, add a splash of dry white wine to deglaze the pan after sautéing the garlic. Let it cook off before adding chicken broth.
- Add some Parmesan – Stir in freshly grated Parmesan cheese to the sauce for a richer and creamier texture.
- Add more flavor – Season the chicken with paprika and garlic powder in addition to salt and pepper for extra flavor.
- Spice it up – Add red pepper flakes for a subtle kick and heat in the sauce.
- Use cornstarch slurry sparingly to avoid overly thick sauce; simmering down naturally improves flavor concentration.
- Ensure chicken breasts are evenly pounded to cook uniformly and stay juicy.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 690 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
