Description
This Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata recipe features tender, pan-fried chicken breasts smothered in a luscious lemon-caper cream sauce. Perfectly balanced with a touch of garlic and parsley, this dish is ideal served over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes for a comforting yet elegant 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)
- Lemon slices, to garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Pound the chicken breasts to an even 1-inch thickness to ensure even cooking. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
- Dredge the chicken: Coat each chicken breast lightly in flour, shaking off any excess to help achieve a golden crust when cooking.
- Cook the chicken: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter with the olive oil. Pan-fry the chicken breasts for about 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
- Make the sauce base: Add the remaining butter to the skillet and sauté the minced garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds, being careful not to burn it.
- Deglaze and add liquids: Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add 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 add salt and pepper as needed.
- Thicken the sauce: Simmer gently until the sauce reduces slightly and becomes creamy. If you prefer a thicker sauce faster, stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook until thickened to your liking.
- Reheat the chicken: Return the chicken breasts to the skillet, spoon the sauce over them, and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until the chicken is heated through.
- Garnish and serve: Garnish with extra parsley and lemon slices. Serve the creamy lemon chicken piccata hot over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes with vegetables on the side.
Notes
- Deglaze with white wine: For extra depth of flavor, add a splash of dry white wine to deglaze the pan before adding chicken broth. Allow the wine to cook off.
- Cheese addition: Incorporate freshly grated Parmesan cheese into the sauce for an even richer and creamier texture.
- Boost seasoning: Enhance the chicken’s flavor by seasoning with paprika and garlic powder along with salt and pepper before dredging in flour.
- Add heat: Sprinkle red pepper flakes into the sauce for a subtle spicy kick.
- Serve with: This dish pairs well with pasta, rice, mashed potatoes, or steamed vegetables for a complete meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
