Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata - The Recipe Critic (2024)

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This creamy lemon chicken piccata is a quick and easy one-pot meal that’s on the dinner table in 30 minutes! Tender breaded chicken in a creamy lemon sauce that the entire family will love.

Chicken is a favorite protein around here with its mild flavor. It works for so many different recipes! You will have to try some of my other favorites, Lemon Garlic Chicken, Marry Me Chicken, and Tuscan Garlic Chicken!

Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata - The Recipe Critic (1)

Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata Recipe

One of our favorite meals of the week was this creamy chicken piccata. My favorite part was that it was a one-pot meal and ready to eat in 30 minutes! This also means easy clean-up! It’s just like the classic chicken piccata dish, but with the added lemon tang. It gives it such a fresh and delicious taste to the creamy sauce. The chicken has a delicious breading on the outside and is so perfect served over some pasta. Everyone in my family loved this meal. It had such a delicious flavor and will be one that we make again and again!

This American-Italian favorite is so creamy and delicious. Piccata literally means, pounded flat and cooked in a sauce of lemon, parsley, and butter. Cooked in one pan and in 30 minutes means you can have an incredible meal on the table in no time. Don’t be scared of the capers! They really make the dish amazing. If you have never had them, this is the perfect dish to try them with. If you love seafood, you’ll have to try this salmon piccata as well! It’s so delicious and packed with light, bright flavor!

Ingredients Needed

Super simple ingredients come together to make an irresistible meal. Serve your creamy lemon chicken piccata with a nice green salad, homemade breadsticks or rolls, and you have a winning dinner on your hands!

  • Chicken:Boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded flat if needed. This is so they cook more evenly!
  • Salt and Pepper: Season to taste.
  • Flour: Creates a nice breading on the chicken.
  • Butter: To cook the chicken in. It also adds a deliciously rich flavor!
  • Olive Oil: Also used to cook and add flavor.
  • Chicken Broth:A savory base for the sauce.
  • Lemons:Fresh whole lemons to use for juice and garnish.
  • Heavy Cream: You can also substitute half and half, but it won’t be as creamy in texture.
  • Capers: Look for these with the pickles and jarred pepperoncini.
  • Parsley: (Optional) For garnish and extra flavor.
  • Angel Hair Pasta: You can also use spaghetti noodles if you would like.

What are Capers?

If you have never had capers before, this is the perfect introduction. They’re typically served alongside chicken and salmon dishes, adding a ton of flavor. Capers are under ripened flower buds of a plant known as the caper bush. The capers are picked and dried. Then they are pickled to create this tangy, salty, and briny flavor that is out of this world yummy.

These little pea-sized condiments produce big flavor. A little goes a long way. Use them in salads, pasta, and chicken. Because of their lemony flavor, they are also great with fish. You’ll have to try them out in these other recipes: Pan Seared Scallops with Lemon Caper Sauce, Pasta Puttanesca with Chicken, and Lemon Salmon Piccata.

Making the Perfect Lemon Chicken Piccata

If needed, take the time to pound your chicken to get it nice and thin. You won’t regret it. They will cook faster and more evenly!

  1. Prepare Skillet, Season Chicken:Heat 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Then salt and pepper each side of the chicken breasts
  2. Adjust Thickness:If the chicken breasts are overly thick, pound them to be thinner. Then the cooking time will be shorter.
  3. Flour:Using a shallow bowl, dredge the chicken in the flour mixture.
  4. Brown: Then put the chicken breasts in the skillet. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side, or until it is cooked throughout and no longer pink. Then remove from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
  5. Sauce:Turn the heat to medium-low. Then add juice from lemons, heavy cream, and capers. Bring the sauce to a boil and then return to medium-low heat. Test the sauce and then season with salt and pepper as needed. Allow the sauce to cook and bubble for about 3 minutes.
  6. Serve:Serve the chicken over cooked pasta and then spoon the piccata sauce over top. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.
Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata - The Recipe Critic (2)

A Reader’s Review

Just made this and it is amazing. Tastes just like the one you order at a local restaurant! It was easy to make and has a great presentation. You won’t be disappointed!

Cheryl P

Tips and Variations

Here are a few ways to switch up this simple dish! You’re going to love this lemon chicken piccata. And it can easily be tweaked to your personal tastes! It can also be made keto if you’re wanting a more diet-friendly option!

  • Noodles:Truly any kind of pasta can be used to serve this scrumptious lemon piccata dish with. (Want to switch things up? Try tagliatelle!) You can also serve it over steamed vegetables, mashed potatoes, or rice.
  • Keto/Low-Carb: To make this meal keto-friendly, use almond flour for coating your chicken in instead of all-purpose flour. You’ll also want to swap out the angel hair pasta for zucchini noodles or protein-packed chickpea noodles.
  • Chicken:Make sure your chicken is thin! You can pound each chicken cutlet thin or slice it in half, either way, it will create the size you are looking for.
  • Fresh Lemons:I wouldn’t recommend using bottled lemon juice here. It will not taste the same. The fresh lemon really brings this piccata together.
  • Capers:Some find the capers to be too salty. If you want to avoid that, just rinse the capers before adding.
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Storing Leftover Lemon Chicken Piccata

Another reason why this recipe is the best: it makes fantastic leftovers! This chicken piccata can be heated up easily for a bright, flavorful lunch.

  • In the Refrigerator: Keep your lemon chicken piccata in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Then warm leftovers in the microwave or over the stove.

Note: It’s best to store the chicken and sauce separately from any noodles so they don’t get soggy.

Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata - The Recipe Critic (4)

More Chicken Recipes to Try

Chicken is so versatile. It can be used in all sorts of cuisines. American, Italian, Chinese, Mexican and everything in between. Chicken is a relatively cheap protein making it an economical, family friendly dish! You can boil it, fry it, grill it, bake it, you name it! We also can’t forget the Instant Pot and air fryer! These are all incredible ways to prepare chicken, so if you need a new recipe to try, look no further. I’ve got you covered. (Find my full list of chicken recipes here!)

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Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata

4.82 from 33 votes

By: Alyssa Rivers

This creamy lemon chicken piccata is a quick and easy one-pot meal that's on the dinner table in 30 minutes! Tender breaded chicken in a creamy lemon sauce that the entire family will love.

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 Servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Heat 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. (If the chicken breasts are overly thick, pound them to be thinner. Cooking time will be shorter.) Salt and pepper each side of the chicken breasts.

    Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata - The Recipe Critic (10)

  • Dredge the chicken in the flour.

    Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata - The Recipe Critic (11)

  • Put the chicken breasts in the skillet. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side, or until it is cooked throughout and no longer pink. Remove from the skillet and set aside on a plate.

    Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata - The Recipe Critic (12)

  • Turn the heat to medium low. Add broth, juice from both lemons, heavy cream, and capers. Bring the sauce to a boil and return to medium low heat. Test the sauce and season with salt and pepper as needed. Allow the sauce to cook and bubble for about 3 minutes.

    Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata - The Recipe Critic (13)

  • Serve the chicken over cooked pasta and spoon the sauce over both. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.

Video

Notes

Updated on February 13, 2023

Originally Posted on April 6, 2015

Nutrition

Calories: 994kcalCarbohydrates: 98gProtein: 66gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 221mgSodium: 855mgPotassium: 1244mgFiber: 6gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 914IUVitamin C: 36mgCalcium: 86mgIron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian American

Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!

About Alyssa Rivers

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Alyssa Rivers and the food blogger behind The Recipe Critic. The blog launched in 2012 as a place to share my passion for cooking. I love trying new things and testing them out with my family. Each recipe is tried and true, family-tested and approved.

Read More About Me

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Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata - The Recipe Critic (2024)

FAQs

Why is my chicken piccata bitter? ›

I also found the whole lemon slices included in many traditional recipes left my sauce with a bitter aftertaste from the lemon's pith. To avoid this, but maintain the acidic brightness this dish depends on, I added a bit of white wine to the sauce instead of lemon slices.

What's the difference between chicken francese and chicken picatta? ›

You may be wondering what the difference is between this recipe and Chicken Francese. While they are somewhat similar, in Chicken Francese, the cutlets are dipped into flour and then eggs. Chicken Piccata cutlets are dipped in flour only and the recipe calls for capers and cream. They are both easy and good!

What is the best cooking wine for piccata? ›

For the sauce, use a dry Italian white wine such as Pinot Grigio or Vermentino and have it ready to pour into the pan the minute the garlic turns golden so that nothing burns.

What does piccata mean in Italy? ›

Piccata, though, is an Italian word meaning larded. It seems to be a translation of the French word pique (sharp, as in piquant). When used in a reference to a way of preparing food (particularly meat or fish) it means sliced and sauteed in a sauce containing lemon, butter, and spices.

What neutralizes bitter taste? ›

Sweetness: From sugar, honey, fruits or otherwise, sweetness will counteract bitter and sour flavours. It can also be used to cut down the heat of a particularly spicy meal. Saltiness: Salt plays two very important roles in flavouring a dish. Firstly, it balances against bitterness.

How do you fix bitter lemon sauce? ›

Try a pinch of baking soda.

Baking soda is very alkaline, which is a good way to correct overly bitter dishes. Sprinkle just a pinch into your food and mix it in well to see if that helps.

What do Italians eat with chicken piccata? ›

What to Serve With Chicken Piccata? Top Side Dishes You Shouldn't Miss
  1. Roasted Asparagus. For a side dish that's as elegant as it is easy, consider roasted asparagus. ...
  2. Sauteed Cauliflower and Mushrooms.
  3. Sauteed Spinach. ...
  4. Mashed Potatoes. ...
  5. Dinner Rolls. ...
  6. Roasted Brussels Sprouts. ...
  7. Lemon Garlic Herb Rice. ...
  8. Garlic Butter Bread.

What is the French version of piccata? ›

“Francese and piccata are very similar. The difference between the two is for Francese, the chicken breast is first dipped in flour, then into a beaten egg mixture, before being cooked. For piccata, the chicken is first dipped in egg and then in flour.

How is chicken scallopini different from chicken piccata? ›

Piccata refers to a sauce (made with lemon, capers, broth, and butter) that's often partnered with chicken, while scallopini refers to the method for preparing the chicken. Chicken scallopini can be finished with piccata sauce, or another sauce.

Is pinot grigio good for chicken piccata? ›

In addition to Sauvignon Blanc, other white wines with similar characteristics can also complement chicken picatta wonderfully. Look for wines such as Pinot Grigio, Vermentino, or Albariño, all of which boast crisp acidity and citrusy flavors that marry well with the dish's bold, bright flavors.

What co*cktail goes well with chicken piccata? ›

But first, what should you order to drink? If you opt for the piccata, Chef Joe Isidori of Arthur & Sons, an esteemed Italian restaurant in New York City, recommends the perfect companion — a limoncello spritz. Of course, he's a pro, so he has a reason for suggesting this particular culinary couplet.

What is a substitute for white wine in chicken piccata? ›

Broth. Chicken or vegetable broth can be a flavorful replacement for white wine. You can even swap it in equal amounts (go for low-sodium broth so your dish doesn't end up too salty). Just keep in mind that broth won't add any acidity, so you might want to add a touch of white vinegar to achieve a similar tang.

What ethnicity is chicken piccata? ›

Piccata (sometimes spelled picatta outside Italy) is an Italian dish of thin pan-fried flour-dredged meat in a sauce of lemon juice, butter, parsley, and often capers. In Italian cuisine piccata is prepared using veal (piccata di vitello al limone, lit.

Is chicken francese the same as piccata? ›

Chicken Francaise vs.

Chicken piccata has capers. So for you caper haters out there, the Francaise version is for you. Chicken Francaise is dredged in flour and egg, whereas chicken piccata is dredged only in flour, so the Francaise has a bit more (delightfully) substantial coating.

Is there a substitute for capers in chicken piccata? ›

Green olives

Cut them down to caper-like size to hide your secret swap (we won't tell). Black or Kalamata olives can also bring a pop of brine, but with less caper-like bitterness. Due to the difference in size, substitute one olive for every two capers.

How do you take the bitterness out of chicken? ›

Milk or Buttermilk. Milk will get rid of a lot of the bitterness and gamey flavor. BUTTERMILK will also really tenderize it and will improve the texture as well. You could even toss in some herbs and spices like cayenne, onion powder, thyme, salt and pepper (1 teaspoon each).

Why is my lemon chicken bitter? ›

The size of the pith varies, the amount of bitterness varies, not all lemons are identical. As someone else said it is the amount of pith but I think that coupled with the longer baking time is probably a big part of the reason.

What makes chicken bitter? ›

If I recall my childhood lessons in chicken butchering, it's the gall bladder. You have to be careful not to puncture that or it will make all the meat bitter.

Why does chicken taste bitter? ›

Why does some fried chicken have a bitter taste? Chances are dry spices like garlic were included in the breading and the chicken was cooked too long.

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