Name: Lemon Chicken Piccata
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (about 6 oz. each); ¾ cup all-purpose flour; ¼ cup fine grind semolina flour (or additional all-purpose flour); 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (finely chopped); 1 teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; 2 tablespoons coconut oil or peanut oil; 2 tablespoons butter; 1 garlic clove (grated); ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth; ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice; 1 whole lemon (thinly sliced); ¼ cup capers (drained); ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (for garnish)

Chicken Piccata: the ultimate answer to “What’s for dinner?” This pan-fried chicken breast is coated in a crispy, golden crust and smothered in a zesty lemon caper sauce that’s guaranteed to steal the show.

It’s a lemon caper chicken that feels fancy but is easy enough to tackle on a weeknight. Bonus: it all comes together in one skillet, leaving you with less cleanup.

Drizzling lemon piccata sauce over pan fried chicken breast.

Here is Why This Chicken Piccata Recipe Works

Quick and Easy: Pound, dredge, fry, and sauce. It’s weeknight cooking that doesn’t feel like a chore. No complicated techniques or hours in the kitchen.

Crispy Meets Saucy: You get perfectly pan fried chicken with a golden, crispy coating, topped with a tangy lemon caper sauce that’s all about the flavor contrast.

Fancy Vibes Without the Fuss: Looks like you spent all day in the kitchen, but the secret is out; it’s ready in under 30 minutes. You’re welcome.

Customizable Ingredients: No semolina flour? No problem. Don’t like capers? Skip them. This recipe works with what you’ve got, and it’s still fabulous.

If you like this chicken piccata recipe, try our chicken Francese. It’s another easy meal that will save you on busy weeknights.

A chicken breast with lemon caper sauce on a bed of pasta.

The Ingredients

Meat: Boneless, skinless chicken breast
Produce: Fresh thyme, garlic, lemon, parsley
Pantry: All-purpose flour, semolina flour (optional), chicken broth, extra-virgin olive oil
Pantry Seasonings: Salt, black pepper
Condiments: Capers

Using a meat mallot to pound a chicken breast.

Variations

Creamy Piccata Chicken: Stir in ¼ cup of heavy cream at the end for a richer, velvety sauce.

Artichoke Lemon Chicken Piccata: Add ½ cup of marinated artichoke hearts to the sauce. Replace the capers with chopped Kalamata olives.

Mushroom Lover’s Chicken Piccata: Sauté 1 cup of sliced mushrooms in the skillet after cooking the chicken, then add them to the sauce.

Tips for Success

Make sure the chicken is an even thickness (about ½ inch thick) so it cooks evenly.
When dredging the chicken, shake off any extra flour to prevent a gummy coating.
Freshly squeezed lemon juice makes all the difference for a vibrant sauce. The bottled stuff will work in a pinch if that is all you have.
Cover the cooked chicken with foil while you make the sauce so it stays hot and ready to soak up all that lemony goodness.
Don’t skip deglazing the skillet with broth and lemon juice; it’s the secret to unlocking all those caramelized bits of flavor.
Rinse your capers if they’re packed in salt, so they don’t overpower the sauce. They should add a pop of briny goodness, not a salt overload.

Storing Leftovers

Fridge: Allow the chicken to cool completely, then transfer it, along with the sauce, into an airtight container. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freezing Instructions: Place the cooled chicken and sauce in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Tip: Freeze the chicken and sauce separately for the best texture.

Reheating Tips: Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of chicken broth or water to the sauce if it has thickened. Alternatively, microwave in a covered dish in 30-second increments, stirring the sauce occasionally.

Pan fried lemon chicken on some pasta covered in sauce and capers.

Skillet Chicken with Lemon Caper Sauce

Chicken Piccata is the kind of recipe that checks all the boxes: simple enough for a weeknight, fancy enough for company, and loaded with bold, zesty flavors that will have everyone at the table reaching for seconds. Dinner never tasted this good or this effortless!

More Recipes to Try

Lemon Chicken Piccata

A classic Italian dish of lemon chicken piccata chicken that is perfectly cooked, tender, delicious and coated in a tangy lemon-caper sauce.

4.83 from 17 votes

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Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 30

Servings: servings

Calories: 390kcal

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves about 6 oz. each
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup fine grind semolina flour or additional all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon fresh thyme finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons coconut oil or peanut oil

For the Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter
1 garlic clove grated
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 whole lemon thinly sliced
¼ cup capers drained
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Instructions

Place chicken breasts between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and gently pound chicken with the flat side of a meat pounder or rolling pin to 1/2 inch thick.
In a shallow dish stir together flour, semolina flour, chopped thyme, salt, and the pepper.
Using paper towels, wipe the chicken pieces to remove the moisture then dredge all of the chicken pieces in the flour mixture, coating each one completely and shaking gently to remove excess. Place on a plate.
Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Working in batches of 2 chicken breasts at a time, add the dredged chicken cutlets to the skillet.
Cook the cutlets for 2-3 minutes (depending on how thin you pounded them), until golden brown, carefully turn them over and cook the other side for 2-3 minutes.
Transfer the cutlets to a platter and proceed with frying the remaining two cutlets. It may be necessary to add a little more oil to the skillet. Cover the cooked cutlets with foil to keep them warm.

For the Sauce:

Pour off any remaining oil in the skillet and wipe it out with a paper towel. Over low heat, add the butter and heat until the foam subsides. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant then add the broth, lemon juice, and the lemon slices.
Bring the sauce to a boil, and cook for about 5 minutes to reduce and thicken slightly, stir in the capers. Return the chicken to the sauce, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.
To serve: Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and spoon the lemon sauce over the chicken, sprinkle generously with the chopped parsley and garnish with the cooked lemon slices.

Notes

You can find bottled capers in the condiment area of local supermarkets

Some supermarkets offer an olive bar in their deli section where capers can be purchased in the amount you desire.
If you don't have semolina flour, you can simply use additional all-purpose flour. the semolina will add texture and a slightly nutty flavor to the coating, but it isn't essential.