Lemon Butter Chicken Piccata

Lemon butter chicken piccata is thin chicken cutlets dredged in flour, pan-seared in butter and oil, then finished in a garlic lemon butter sauce with briny capers and chopped parsley. The sauce is bright from fresh lemon juice and silky from a last knob of butter stirred in at the end. For more lemon chicken dinners, try this Greek lemon chicken and potatoes and this 3-ingredient lemon garlic chicken.

Why You’ll Love This Lemon Butter Chicken Piccata

• One-skillet dinner: the cutlets are seared in the same pan used for the lemon butter sauce, so the browned bits become part of the flavor.
• Bright, classic piccata sauce: fresh lemon juice, chicken broth, garlic, capers and butter make a sauce that is tangy, savory and glossy.
• Fast weeknight timing: thin cutlets cook in a few minutes per side, and the sauce comes together while the chicken rests.
• Familiar ingredients: chicken breasts, lemons, capers, butter and parsley are easy to keep on hand, and the method is simple.

What Is Lemon Butter Chicken Piccata?

Lemon butter chicken piccata is a simple skillet version of classic chicken piccata. Boneless chicken breasts are sliced into thin cutlets, dredged in seasoned flour and seared in butter and oil until the outsides are golden. The same pan is then used for a quick sauce of garlic, chicken broth, fresh lemon juice and drained capers, finished with butter and sprinkled with parsley. This version stays with the lemon-butter-and-caper sauce; for a different skillet take, see this chicken piccata with artichokes. Cook the chicken thoroughly; see this USDA guide to chicken from farm to table.

Ingredients for Lemon Butter Chicken Piccata

• 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lb), sliced horizontally into 4 thin cutlets
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 4 thin lemon slices, for serving (optional)

Ingredient Notes

No printed recipe came with the original photo, so this is a classic lemon butter chicken piccata method: thin flour-dredged cutlets, a pan sauce of garlic, broth, fresh lemon juice and capers, and a finish of butter and parsley.

• Chicken cutlets: 2 large breasts, sliced in half horizontally, give you 4 thin cutlets, about 1 1/2 lb in all. Pound any piece thicker than about 1/4 inch so they cook at the same rate.
• All-purpose flour: 1/2 cup is enough to coat the cutlets. The thin coating helps the outsides brown and gives the sauce a little body. Shake off the excess.
• Salt and black pepper: season the flour with half of the salt and all of the pepper, then taste the sauce at the end. Capers already bring some salt.
• Olive oil and butter: 2 tablespoons of oil plus 2 tablespoons of butter for searing keep the butter from browning too fast. The remaining 2 tablespoons of butter are stirred into the sauce at the end.
• Garlic: 3 cloves, minced, are cooked briefly in the same skillet after the chicken comes out. Do not let the garlic darken.
• Chicken broth: 3/4 cup loosens the browned bits and makes enough sauce for 4 cutlets.
• Fresh lemon juice: 1/4 cup, from about 2 lemons, is the bright center of the sauce. Fresh juice tastes cleaner here than bottled juice. Thin lemon slices on top, as in the photo, add color.
• Capers: 2 tablespoons, drained, give the sauce its classic briny snap. If they are packed in salt, rinse them and pat them dry.
• Parsley: 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, added at the end, cut through the richness of the butter.

How to Make Lemon Butter Chicken Piccata

1. Slice the chicken: cut each breast in half horizontally to make 4 thin cutlets. If needed, pound the thicker ends so the pieces are an even 1/4 inch.
2. Dredge the cutlets: on a shallow plate, mix the flour with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the black pepper. Dredge each cutlet, then shake off the extra flour.
3. Heat the pan: in a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter until the butter melts and the pan is hot.
4. Sear the chicken: add the cutlets in a single layer, working in batches if the skillet is crowded. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until the outsides are golden and the chicken is cooked through. The thickest part should reach 165°F. Transfer the cutlets to a plate.
5. Cook the garlic: lower the heat to medium. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring, just until fragrant.
6. Build the sauce: pour in the chicken broth and the lemon juice. Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the drained capers and let the sauce simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until it reduces slightly.
7. Finish with butter: add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and stir until the sauce looks glossy. Taste and add the remaining salt if needed.
8. Return the chicken: nestle the cutlets back into the sauce and spoon the sauce over the top. Warm for 1 to 2 minutes.
9. Serve: sprinkle with the chopped parsley and add lemon slices if you are using them. Serve hot, with extra sauce from the pan.

Hands-on time is about 15 minutes, and cook time is about 20 minutes, for a total of about 35 minutes. The recipe serves 4.

Tips for the Best Lemon Butter Chicken Piccata

• Keep the cutlets thin: thick pieces can dry out before the outsides brown. An even 1/4-inch thickness is the goal.
• Do not crowd the skillet: if the cutlets overlap, they steam instead of searing. Cook in two batches and add a little more oil if the pan looks dry.
• Shake off extra flour: a heavy coating can turn gummy in the sauce. A light, even dusting is enough.
• Use fresh lemon juice: bottled juice can taste dull once it reduces. Fresh lemons also give you slices for the plate.
• Cook the chicken thoroughly: the cutlets should reach 165°F in the thickest part, the safe temperature given in the USDA guidance linked above.

What to Serve With Lemon Butter Chicken Piccata

Lemon butter chicken piccata sits well next to buttered noodles, plain rice or a simple green vegetable, so there is sauce to spoon over the plate. For another lemon-and-herb chicken plate, try this lemon herb chicken and rice. If you want a second skillet chicken on the same menu, these garlic parmesan chicken breasts are a good savory contrast. Serve the piccata as soon as the parsley goes on.

Variations

• With artichokes: if you want hearts of artichoke in the sauce, use the linked chicken piccata with artichokes.
• White wine in the sauce: replace 1/4 cup of the chicken broth with dry white wine and let it reduce for a minute before you add the remaining broth and the lemon juice.
• Smaller batch: halve every ingredient to serve 2. Use a medium skillet so the sauce does not reduce too fast.

Storage

Let leftover lemon butter chicken piccata cool, then store the cutlets and sauce together in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. See this FDA guide to storing food safely for general refrigeration advice. Reheat the chicken gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of chicken broth, until the centers are hot. A microwave will warm it, but the sauce can separate, so use short bursts and stir once.

FAQ

What is lemon butter chicken piccata?

It is thin, flour-dredged chicken cutlets that are pan-seared and served in a sauce of garlic, chicken broth, fresh lemon juice, capers and butter, finished with parsley.

What kind of chicken should I use for lemon butter chicken piccata?

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into thin cutlets, are the usual choice. Packaged thin-sliced cutlets also work. Pound any thick spots so the pieces cook evenly.

Can I make lemon butter chicken piccata ahead of time?

You can slice and pound the cutlets a day ahead and keep them covered in the refrigerator. Sear the chicken and make the sauce just before serving so the coating stays crisp.

How do I keep the lemon butter chicken piccata sauce from turning thin or greasy?

Let the broth and lemon juice simmer until they reduce slightly before you add the last butter, and keep the heat moderate when that butter goes in. If the sauce looks thin, simmer it for another minute. If it looks greasy, take the pan off the heat and stir until the butter comes back together.

What temperature should the chicken reach in lemon butter chicken piccata?

The cutlets should be cooked until the thickest part reaches 165°F, the safe temperature recommended for chicken. Check early and pull them as soon as they are ready.