Easy Lemon Chicken Piccata

Love

Lemon chicken piccata is a simple and zesty dish with butter, caper sauce. Its flavorful chicken dish includes some basic spices to create a tasty meal in no time. The vibrant lemon zest in this recipe creates a zesty, buttery sauce. These simple ingredients combine to make the most genuine and delicious cuisine.

Table of Contents

About lemon chicken Piccata

Lemon Chicken Piccata is a famous dish in Italian-American cuisine, known for its vibrant, tangy, and savory flavor. It comprises thinly sliced chicken breast cutlets slightly coated in flour, pan-fried until they come to a golden colour, and provided with a zesty lemon butter sauce accompanied by capers.

The meal originated in Italy, borrowing influence from classic piccata recipes, which typically include veal. (young calf meat). Chicken Piccata became a popular Italian-American dish in the United States as it is approachable and budget-friendly.

I’ve tried several other versions over the years but haven’t been satisfied with the flavors of the ingredients. Some recipes wind up being overly tangy and sour, while others result in rubbery chicken cutlets that are difficult to eat. After multiple attempts, I finally came up with simple and easy instructions to follow with no complications!

My chicken piccata dish features excellent tangines and delicious chicken pieces that combine well with buttery caper sauce. I also wanted to make this recipe moderate in fat, so I used appropriate amounts of butter and oil.

Jump to Recipe

Ingredients required

Chicken Breast

Here, I’m using fresh chicken breast, cut horizontally and pounded into thin cutlets so that they can be cooked easily. If you like whole chicken breast, then cut it into two parts evenly.

Lemon

I have used fresh lemon juice and zest. I believe fresh lemon added more flavour and freshness to the caper sauce than the market bought. Because the market lime juice makes it a bit tart.

Capers

I’m here using brine capers. Capers sound like a unique item. Capers are flower buds from a shrubby bush named Capparis spinosa. These dried buds are preserved in brine. They give a distinctive, tangy taste to the sauce when added. My family loves to have them in this recipe.

Substitute for Capers

Green olives can be used instead of capers in this recipe. They are similarly preserved in brine and produce the same salty, palatable sauce. Kalamata works well, too.

Butter

Butter is used for making sauce and also for cooking chicken.

Olive oil

Olive oil is used for cooking chicken (pan frying). If you have no olive oil on hand, feel free to use vegetable oil.

All-purpose flour

For dredging chicken cutlets, I’m using all-purpose flour here. It gives a crispy outer layer to chicken that is ready to get spicy in a tangy butter sauce. Permasen can also be another option for dressing chicken.

Seasoning Spices

Ground black pepper and salt, two basic seasoning spices, are used here.

Steps for Making Chicken Piccata

Chicken Preparation

Chicken preparation is the most crucial step in making this chicken recipe flawless. Cut the chicken breast horizontally and then pound it with a meat mallet by wrapping pieces in aluminum foil until it is thick enough to fry effortlessly.

Chicken Seasoning and Dredging

After cutting and pounding the chicken, season it with ground black pepper and salt, with some oil. Nicely dredge the chicken cutlets evenly in all-purpose flour.

Pan Fry

Heat the pan with oil and some butter. Then, pan-fry the coated pieces until they start getting a golden colour. It will take 3-4 minutes from one side, while the other side will get a golden color in no time, comparatively. Once the chicken is done, remove it from the pan.

Making Caper Sauce

We will utilize the same pan to prepare the lemon caper sauce. Begin by wiping the pan with a paper towel, as a dirty pan will prevent the creation of a translucent and glossy buttery sauce. Next, incorporate butter along with some oil, and sauté the garlic paste for 2 minutes. After that, mix in the capers and proceed to cook with 2 tbsp of lemon zest and a bit of water. Allow it to simmer for a while until it reduces by half.

Smearing Chicken

It’s time to return the fried chicken pieces to cook in the caper sauce.

Finally, stir in 3-4 tablespoons of cream to achieve a more cohesive sauce. Cook for 2 minutes. Once it is done, drizzle creamy butter sauce over the chicken

Serving

Garnish it with green parsley leaves and sliced lemons.

Storage

This recipe tastes perfect when served freshly made. The leftovers can be stored for 3-4 days in the refrigerator in air-tight jars. When needed, pour out in a preheated oven at a low temperature. If the sauce becomes too thick, then feel free to add some water and 1-2 tbsp of cream if needed. Adjust the salt if needed.

Recipes to try!

More Chicken recipes to try

Can we substitute capers in this recipe?

Yes, Green olives and Kalamata olives are the best substitutes for capers.

Can we use more spices?

A pinch of red chili powder will be good, along with salt and black pepper.

Can we use garam masala powder for the aroma?

No, garam masala powder has a potent scent and flavor, and it will change the taste.

Can we use the whole breast for this recipe?

If you want a whole breast, then cut it into two even halves from the center. It will take comparatively more time.

What to Serve with Lemon Chicken Piccata

Lemon chicken piccata is best served with potatoes, plain boiled rice, or fried rice recipes. This bright side recipe will lighten up dining in no time.

Have you tried that recipe? If Yes! Then, comment below and let me know.

(No Ratings Yet)