Description
Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata features tender, pan-fried chicken breasts coated in a luscious lemon and caper cream sauce, perfect served over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes for a delightful dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5–8 oz. each)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup flour
Cooking Fats
- 3 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Sauce
- 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)
Garnish
- Lemon slices, to garnish
Instructions
- Prepare and Season Chicken: Pound the chicken breasts to an even 1 inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
- Dredge the Chicken: Coat each chicken breast in flour, shaking off any excess flour to ensure a thin, even layer.
- Pan-Fry the Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry chicken pieces for about 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside on a plate.
- Sauté Garlic: In the same skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
- Make the Sauce: Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in the chicken broth, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in heavy cream and bring mixture to a gentle boil.
- Add Flavorings: Stir in capers, lemon juice, and chopped parsley. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Thicken the Sauce: Let the sauce simmer gently until slightly reduced and creamy. For a thicker sauce faster, stir in the optional cornstarch slurry and cook until desired thickness is reached.
- Combine Chicken and Sauce: Return the cooked chicken breasts to the skillet, spooning the sauce over them. Simmer together for 1 to 2 minutes until the chicken is warmed through and infused with sauce flavors.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with additional chopped parsley and lemon slices. Serve hot over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes alongside vegetables for a complete meal.
Notes
- Deglaze the pan with dry white wine before adding chicken broth to add extra depth of flavor.
- Sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan cheese into the sauce for a richer taste.
- Season chicken with paprika and garlic powder in addition to salt and pepper for enhanced flavor.
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a mild spicy kick.
- Make sure to pound the chicken evenly for consistent cooking and tenderness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg
