Description
This creamy lemon chicken piccata is a quick and flavorful Italian-inspired dish featuring tender chicken breasts sautéed to golden perfection and served in a luscious lemon-caper cream sauce. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner that pairs beautifully with pasta, rice, or crusty bread.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Cooking and Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Prep the Chicken: In a shallow dish, combine the all-purpose flour, salt, and black pepper thoroughly.
- Dredge the Chicken: Coat each halved chicken breast in the seasoned flour mixture, shaking off any excess flour.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the dredged chicken breasts and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until they are golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Make the Sauce: In the same skillet, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
- Add Liquids and Flavorings: Pour in the chicken broth, heavy cream, and freshly squeezed lemon juice, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet to add flavor.
- Simmer the Sauce: Stir in the drained capers and red pepper flakes if using. Let the sauce simmer gently for 5 minutes until it thickens slightly.
- Finish the Sauce: Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until melted and well incorporated into the sauce.
- Combine Chicken and Sauce: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet, coating it thoroughly with the creamy lemon sauce. Let it simmer together for 2 minutes to meld the flavors.
- Serve: Remove from heat, garnish the dish with chopped fresh parsley, and serve hot. This dish is excellent alongside pasta, steamed rice, or with crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
Notes
- Halving the chicken breasts lengthwise helps them cook evenly and more quickly.
- Adjust the amount of lemon juice for more or less tanginess according to your taste.
- Red pepper flakes add a mild heat, but you can omit them if you prefer a milder sauce.
- For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or a light cream alternative.
- Ensure not to overcook the chicken to keep it juicy and tender.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
