Creamy Chicken Piccata (Printable)

Tender chicken in luscious lemon-caper cream sauce

# Ingredient list:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.3 lbs)
02 - ½ tsp salt
03 - ¼ tsp black pepper
04 - ½ cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
05 - 2 tbsp olive oil
06 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter

→ Sauce

07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - ½ cup dry white wine (or chicken broth)
09 - ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
10 - ½ cup heavy cream
11 - ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
12 - 2 tbsp capers, rinsed and drained
13 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
14 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

# Cooking steps:

01 - Place chicken breasts between two sheets of parchment and pound to ½-inch thickness. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
02 - Dredge chicken breasts in flour, shaking off excess.
03 - Heat olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 4–5 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
04 - In the same skillet, add remaining 1 tbsp butter. Sauté garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Pour in wine (or chicken broth) and simmer, scraping up any browned bits, until reduced by half (about 2 minutes).
06 - Add chicken broth, heavy cream, and lemon juice. Stir and simmer for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened.
07 - Stir in capers and return chicken to the skillet. Spoon sauce over chicken and simmer 2–3 minutes to heat through. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve immediately with pasta, rice, or crusty bread.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The creamy sauce balances the bright lemon perfectly, creating that restaurant-quality richness without feeling heavy
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes but tastes like something that simmered all afternoon
  • The leftovers reheat beautifully for lunch the next day, if there are any
02 -
  • Pat the chicken completely dry before seasoning, or youll end up steaming instead of searing, and that golden crust will be impossible to achieve
  • Let the pan get properly hot before adding the chicken, but dont let the butter smoke or it will taste bitter
  • Room temperature chicken cooks more evenly, so take it out of the fridge 20 minutes before starting
03 -
  • If the sauce feels too thick, add a splash more broth or cream until it reaches the consistency you love
  • Make it extra luxurious by using all cream instead of half broth, though youll lose a bit of that classic picatta brightness
  • The flavors actually improve after sitting for a few minutes, so let it rest briefly before serving if you can resist
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