This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure form more information.

Lemon Chicken Piccata is pan fried chicken cutlets in a creamy lemon butter sauce with white wine and capers. Serve with your favorite pasta for a special weeknight dinner or Sunday supper!

lemon chicken piccata in creamy lemon butter sauce with white wine and capers in skillet

Why go out to eat when you can make this restaurant quality chicken piccata recipe at home? You can find this classic Italian dish at most Italian restaurants, but it’s cheaper to make it at home.

I used to make this simple chicken recipe way back when, before the kiddos came along. It’s definitely on the tangy side, and I didn’t think my picky eaters would go for it.

Now that they’re older, I make this easy chicken dinner for a special weeknight dinner or Sunday dinner. It’s a great recipe for birthdays, Valentine’s Day or date night!

Even though there is some prep work, this easy recipe takes about 30 minutes to make!

Try my Ritz cracker chicken or Mayo Parmesan chicken and search the archives for even more easy chicken recipes.

chicken cutlets, flour, seasonings, butter, lemon juice and white wine, capers and cream

Ingredients

You only need a few simple ingredients for this creamy lemon chicken piccata recipe. They should be easy to find in your grocery store or online.

  • Boneless skinless chicken breast halves
  • Seasonings — salt, black pepper and garlic powder
  • Flour — all purpose flour
  • Butter — salted butter or unsalted butter
  • Olive oil
  • White wine — or chicken broth
  • Lemon — about 1 medium lemon for the fresh lemon juice
  • Heavy cream
  • Capers — usually found by the jarred peppers and olives

How to Make Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata

First, you’ll need to pound the chicken breast halves until they’re about 1/4 inch thick.

The easy way to pound chicken is to put them between pieces of wax paper or plastic wrap or into large freezer bags.

Then, use the flat side of a meat mallet or a rolling pin to gently pound them.

pound chicken with meat mallet in zip lock bag

Then, season the chicken, and dredge it with flour.

I like to put the flour in a shallow dish and use kitchen tongs to hold the chicken. After the chicken is well coated, be sure to shake off the excess flour.

dredge chicken cutlet in flour

Heat the 2 tablespoons of butter and the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat to medium high heat. When the butter melts, add the chicken cutlets to the skillet,

Pan fry the chicken breasts on both sides until they’re golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side.

cook chicken cutlets in skillet

Next, remove chicken from the pan while you make the sauce. Place the chicken on a large plate, and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Pour the white wine into the skillet. Then, deglaze the pan with white wine, or use chicken broth if you don’t want to use wine.

Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

stir heavy cream into lemon butter sauce

Then, add lemon juice, cream and capers. Put the chicken back into the sauce. Pour in the chicken juices, as well.

Add some chopped fresh parsley for flavor and presentation. I also like to add lemon slices for another pop of color.

pan fried lemon chicken breasts in lemon cream sauce with capers in skillet

The chicken will finish cooking in the sauce and should be 165 degrees internally for safety.

You can spoon the tangy creamy sauce over the chicken before serving or let people add their own sauce.

I highly recommend tasting the sauce before serving. You can add more cream or use chicken broth to help balance the flavors if you think it’s too tangy.

What to Serve with Chicken Picatta

We like to serve chicken piccata over a bed of pasta or egg noodles. The pasta helps absorb the creamy lemon sauce. I usually make pasta in my Instant Pot since my pan takes up a lot of space on the stove.

Sprinkle a little freshly grated Parmesan cheese on the chicken for extra flavor.

If you don’t want pasta, you can serve the chicken over rice or mashed potatoes. or roasted potatoes. We love steamed broccoli or asparagus with this creamy lemon chicken dinner. A simple green salad works, too!

chicken piccata with lemon cream sauce and capers in a skillet

Recipe Variations

To make chicken piccata without wine, chicken broth is a great substitute. You can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs in this creamy chicken piccata recipe.

Lighten up the recipe by leaving out the heavy cream or use half and half.

How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover chicken piccata in your refrigerator in an airtight container. It will keep fresh for 3-4 days. You can freeze leftover chicken for up to 3 months for best flavor.

Reheat the chicken on the stove top or in your microwave.

chicken piccata in skillet with capers and lemon slices

Cooking Tips

I recommend having all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go before starting. It makes the cooking process much smoother.

If the chicken is very thick, butterfly the chicken by slicing it in half lengthwise with a sharp knife. Then, pound the chicken pieces until they are even.

Capers have a strong flavor. You can rinse the capers before adding to the sauce to reduce the saltiness.

FAQ

What wine is best for chicken piccata sauce?

Use a dry white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc for the sauce, as it pairs well with the lemon flavor. It does not have to be expensive, but it should be something you would drink.

Why does the chicken piccata taste bitter?

If the chicken tastes bitter, the stove may have been too hot and it may have burned a little while cooking. If you used fresh garlic, it may have burned during cooking. It’s also possible if you added lemon zest, you may have included some of the bitter pith when zesting the lemon.

5 from 11 votes

Lemon Chicken Piccata recipe

By: Dee
Lemon Chicken Piccata is pan fried chicken cutlets in a creamy lemon butter sauce with white wine and capers. Serve with your favorite pasta for a special weeknight dinner or Sunday supper!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients  

  • 4 small chicken breasts about 2 pounds total
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ cup all purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ½ cup white wine I used Pino Grigio
  • 1 small lemon juice of, about 1/4 cup
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons capers drained
Save this recipe!
Enter your email and get this recipe sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from us every week!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Instructions 

  • Place chicken breasts between 2 sheets of wax paper or into a gallon size freezer bag, and pound with the flat side of a mallet or rolling pin until they're about 1/4 inch thick
  • Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder
  • Dredge chicken in flour, and shake off excess flour.
  • Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet, and add chicken breasts
  • Cook until brown on one side, then flip over and cook until brown on both sides. About 8 minutes, total. You may have to reduce heat or add more oil or butter if it starts to get too brown or dry.
  • Remove chicken to a platter and cover to keep warm
  • Pour wine or broth in the pan, and deglaze and scrape up browned bits with a flat spatula or wooden spoon
  • Add lemon juice, allow to simmer slightly, then stir in heavy cream, and mix until blended.
  • Lower heat, add capers, then add chicken back to sauce and cook until sauce is thick and chicken is 165, according to meat thermometer

Notes

You can use chicken broth instead of wine or in addition to wine if you want a thinner sauce.
To make cooking process go faster, have all ingredients measured out and have everything set in place before you start cooking.
Taste sauce before serving for additional seasoning or to add more butter, cream or broth if sauce is too tangy.

Nutrition

Calories: 386kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 27g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 108mg, Sodium: 591mg, Potassium: 513mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 427IU, Vitamin C: 16mg, Calcium: 25mg, Iron: 1mg

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

Additional Info

Course: Main
Cuisine: Italian
Like this? Leave a comment below!

My entire family loves this creamy lemon chicken piccata recipe — even the picky eaters go back for seconds!

I hope you enjoy this delicious chicken dinner as much as we do! If you do make it, please leave a star rating and/or comment.

For more easy recipes with chicken that you can make at home, sign up for the weekly newsletter and follow along on social media.

    chicken piccata in cream sauce with lemon slices in a skillet

    Recipe published in 2020 and updated in 2023.

    ebook cover.
    Download my free eBook!
    Fill out the download form to get this collection of easy dessert dips. You'll also receive free recipes each week!
    Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

    You May Also Like

    Leave a comment

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    14 Comments

    1. Kathy says:

      Made this last night and what a huge hit! Didn’t take that long to make but it was sure worth it!5 stars

    2. James says:

      Made this twice since this came out! A new family favorite.5 stars

      1. Dee says:

        Thanks, James! I’m glad you liked the chicken piccata!

    3. Beti says:

      My family would really enjoy this!! It looks SO GOOD!5 stars

    4. katerina says:

      YUM! This looks incredibly delicious!!5 stars

    5. Toni says:

      Love this for weeknights! Such a delicious and easy to make meal!5 stars

      1. Dee says:

        It really is easy. Thanks so much, Toni!

    6. Erin says:

      This Lemon Chicken Piccata looks incredibly delicious!5 stars

    7. Dorothy Reinhold says:

      We LOVED this recipe. This will be going in our regular rotation.

      1. Dee says:

        Thank you so much, Dorothy! I’m glad you enjoyed it!

    8. Allyson Zea says:

      Oh this turned out so fabulous! Thank you for the easy recipe!

      1. Dee says:

        Awesome, Allyson! Thank you so much!

    9. Beth says:

      This looks so delicious! My family is going to love this recipe! Can’t wait to make this!5 stars

      1. Dee says:

        Thanks so much, Beth. I hope you enjoy it!