Whenever I’m craving a dinner that’s easy to put together and is full of flavor, I make this delicious Chicken Piccata recipe. It only requires a handful of ingredients, meaning it’s seriously simple, but you’d never know once you taste it! It’s totally restaurant quality and elegant enough to impress a date or your in-laws—if I do say so myself!! When garlic and lemon come together with briny capers, creamy butter, and fresh parsley, you just can’t lose. Trust me; if you’ve got some chicken in your fridge and don’t know what to do with it, my homemade chicken piccata is your answer.
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“This is one of my favorites! I’ve made it twice now – both times it’s been hands down the best chicken I’ve cooked. Will be adding this to my monthly rotation for sure!”
Cassie
Chicken Piccata feels like something you’d only get at a nice restaurant, but it’s surprisingly quick, simple, and totally doable at home. The combination of tender chicken, a buttery lemon sauce, and briny capers makes every bite feel fancy—even if it’s just a weeknight dinner. This one’s a go-to for when I want something easy but full of flavor. This Italian dish can also be made with veal, but we’re Budget Bytes, so I think we’ll stick with chicken. ;) Either way, this dish is a simple classic that is sure to impress.
Budget-Saving Tips
- Chicken thighs are often cheaper than chicken breasts at the store, so feel free to use them instead! I’d go for skinless, boneless chicken thighs so you can still pound them thin and get the same results. And because chicken thighs are fattier than chicken breasts, they’re harder to overcook, making them a great option for beginner cooks, too.
- I don’t use any wine in this recipe for chicken piccata, which is a serious money saver. You can almost always (give or take!) sub chicken broth for white wine in a recipe. But if you DO want to make this recipe using wine, either buy a small bottle or choose a white wine you’d actually drink. That way, you’re not wasting money on a whole bottle of wine you won’t end up using!
- Buying chicken in bulk is also a great budget-friendly option. Look for family packs or larger packages at the store and freeze the extra chicken for later.
Delicious Homemade Chicken Piccata
Servings 4Ingredients
- 1 fresh lemon ($0.79)
- 1/4 Italian parsley (bunch , $0.25)
- 3 cloves garlic ($0.24)
- 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts ( about 2 lbs, see notes, $6.25)
- Pinch salt and pepper ($0.05)
- 1/2 cup flour ($0.03)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.26)
- 2 Tbsp butter ($0.28)
- 1/2 cup chicken broth (see notes, $0.07)
- 1 Tbsp capers (see notes $0.40)
Instructions
- Prepare the lemon, parsley, and garlic so they’re ready to go when you need them. Roughly chop the parsley leaves, juice the lemon, and mince the garlic. Set these ingredients aside.
- Trim the chicken breasts of excess fat. Cover them with plastic wrap and pound them with a mallet or rolling pin until they are an even thickness (about 1/2-3/4 inch thick). Cut each chicken breast in half so that you have four to six pieces about the size of the palm of your hand. Season both sides of the chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet, over medium heat. While the oil is heating, place the flour in a bowl and lightly coat each piece of chicken on both sides. When the oil is very hot but not smoking, add the chicken pieces to the skillet and cook until golden brown on each side (about 3-5 minutes on each side). Cook the chicken in batches, if needed, to prevent them from overcrowding the skillet. Transfer the browned chicken on a clean plate.
- After removing the chicken from the skillet, turn the heat down to medium-low and add the butter and minced garlic. Sauté the garlic in the butter for about one minute. Add the chicken broth and lemon juice to the skillet and whisk to dissolve (or “deglaze”) the brown bits off of the bottom of the pan.
- Add the capers and half of the chopped parsley to the skillet. Increase the heat to medium, add the chicken back to the skillet, and spoon the sauce over top. Allow the chicken to simmer in the sauce for 3-5 minutes, without a lid, or until the sauce reduces by half. The flour on the chicken will help thicken the sauce as it simmers. Sprinkle the remaining parsley over top just before serving.
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Notes
Nutrition
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How to Make Chicken Piccata Step-By-Step Photos
Start by preparing the sauce ingredients: Pull the leaves from about 1/4 bunch of parsley and then give them a rough chop. Juice the lemon (you’ll want between 1/3 cup and 1/2 cup, it’s flexible). Mince three cloves of garlic.
Prep the chicken: This recipe will make enough sauce for about 2 pounds of chicken breasts, or 2-3 boneless skinless breasts, depending on their size. I had two breasts left in my freezer, one of which was rather large. Place the chicken on a cutting board and cover with a large piece of plastic wrap. Use a mallet or rolling pin to gently pound the chicken, concentrating on the thicker end, until the piece is an even thickness from one end to the other (about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick).
Cut and season chicken: Next, cut each piece of pounded chicken into 2 (or three if it’s extra large) pieces about the size of the palm of your hand. Season both sides with a pinch of salt and pepper. Place 1/2 cup flour in a wide shallow bowl and dip each piece of chicken in the flour until it is lightly coated on each side.
Cook chicken: Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it is shimmering. Add the chicken pieces and cook on each side until golden brown (about 3-5 minutes each side). Cook the chicken in two batches if your skillet is on the smaller side, to prevent over crowding, which will cause the juices to pool. You want some of the flour and chicken to brown on the bottom of the skillet.
Sauté garlic: Once the chicken has browned, remove it to a clean plate and turn the heat down to medium-low. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and the minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté for about one minute or just until the garlic is softened a bit.
Make the sauce: Add 1/2 cup chicken broth and the lemon juice to the skillet. Stir or whisk until all the brown bits dissolve off the bottom.
Add chicken to sauce mixture: Add half of the chopped parsley and 1 Tbsp capers to the sauce. Return the chicken pieces to the skillet and spoon the sauce over top. Allow the skillet to return to a simmer. Continue simmering for 3-5 minutes without a lid, or until the sauce is reduced by half. Spoon the sauce over the chicken a few times as it simmers.
Garnish with the remaining chopped parsley just before serving. I also happened to have an extra lemon, so I added lemon slices for visual effect, but you don’t need them for flavor. The sauce is QUITE flavorful on its own.
Oooh that sauce. Make sure to serve it over pasta, rice, or with a slice of bread to sop up that goodness!!
serving suggestions
The serving size might seem small (each piece is about the size of a deck of cards), so I suggest bulking out your meal by serving the chicken piccata over plain buttered pasta, or if you want something fancier, try this lemon parsley pasta. I also think the flavors in this dish go beautifully with asparagus, green beans, or broccoli. But whenever I need something quick and easy, I serve it with a green side salad and some garlic bread for a classic meal.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat In a saucepan over medium heat until heated through. Add a small amount of oil or butter if needed for consistency.
There is no garlic in “piccata,” regardless of the protein. Sorry, but a new name is required for this. Garlic chicken?
Would this be a good meal prep idea? Does it reheat well?
I think it would be fine! I would just take care not to overcook the chicken on the initial cook so that it doesn’t become too tough when you reheat it.
It’s both an easy and impressive recipe. When the chicken is cooked thin and tender, it pairs perfectly with the lemon and caper sauce. The tangy and salty notes of the delicious sauce combine with the soft texture of the chicken, leaving a wonderful taste on your palate. Plus, this dish can be prepared in just 30-40 minutes, making it ideal for serving to guests or your family.
When garnished with fresh parsley, it also makes for a colorful and elegant presentation. You can further elevate the dish by adding a slice of bread or something like risotto on the side. If you’re looking for something simple yet gourmet, this recipe is definitely worth trying! slopeplay.org
This was so good! I had made some crusty bread so a slive of that plus the chicken and some roasted zucchini made a delicious meal.
Delicious! I did add a dry white wine. Love that you added chicken piccata and chicken marsala recipes to the site. These are my mom’s favorite recipes and I like to be able to make them for her. <3
Amazing dish! Made it with a Greek rice and it was so good. Love your recipes, thank you so much!
Great and easy recipe. I made this for my friend who is taking care of her mom and it was delicious. I wish I could post a pic. I used wine and an extra lemon bc we like it super lemony.
This is better than any chicken piccata you’d find in a pricey restaurant!! I doubled the sauce so I would have extra to serve over mashed potatoes.
This is one of my favorites! I’ve made it twice now – both times it’s been hands down the best chicken I’ve cooked. Will be adding this to my monthly rotation for sure!
This was very delicious and my whole family loved it! I highly recommend tripling the sauce so you can soak it up with some crusty bread or put on top of mashed potatoes or rice. Definitely making this recipe again!
Seriously loved this! It felt fancy, but was still simple enough to make. This is one to impress with!
Delicious! The flavors blend together so well. I let the chicken cook a bit longer to make it even more tender. My family loved it!
i didn’t even know i could make chicken this soft and delicious. it was amazing. my boyfriend and i fought over the leftovers lol
Absolutely delicious.
EXCELLENT! I used twice as much butter, zested the lemon, used chicken bone broth, and used lemon pepper grinder vs salt and pepper. Just WOW! I will be using this recipe as a base forever! Thank you!