Recipes
Recipe Tools
View All Recipe Tools Recipe Adapter Recipe Scaler Pan Size Converter Cooking Converter Oven to Air Fryer Converter Recipe Cost Calculator Ingredient Substitution Finder Shopping List Generator
How It Works
Chicken piccata cutlets with lemon butter sauce, capers and parsley.
Main Dishes Poultry Year-Round Italian Nut-Free Quick & Easy

Chicken Piccata Recipe

Tender pan-seared chicken cutlets in a bright lemon-butter sauce with briny capers and fresh parsley.

Prep 15 min
Cook 20 min
Total 35 min
Servings 4 servings
Difficulty Easy
Jump to Recipe Adapt This Recipe
Air fryerConversion not recommended

Contains: Milk · Wheat

This recipe contains milk and wheat. Chicken broth formulations can vary, so check the labels of the products you use if you need to avoid additional allergens.

WHY IT WORKS

Why This Recipe Works

01

Use Thin, Even Cutlets

Thin, evenly pounded chicken cutlets cook quickly and at the same rate, so they can brown without drying out.

02

Build the Pan Sauce

Chicken broth, fresh lemon juice and capers loosen the browned bits from the pan and turn them into a bright, savory sauce.

03

Finish with Butter

Swirling cold butter into the sauce off the heat gives it a glossy finish and softens the sharpness of the lemon.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Equipment

Large 12-inch skillet
Shallow bowl or plate
Meat mallet or rolling pin
Food thermometer

THE RECIPE

Ingredients & Method

Use these cooking tools without leaving the recipe. Change the servings, switch measurements, keep a private note in this browser, and use any timer buttons shown below the method steps.

Measurements
Servings

My Notes
Saved locally as you type.

Ingredients

Tick ingredients as you use them.

Use the ingredient tools when you want to convert a quantity or compare a substitution.

Measurements
  • Chicken
  • Tools
  • Lemon-Caper Sauce
  • Tools
  • Tools

Method

Tap a step number as you finish it.

Timed steps show a timer button beneath the instruction.

  1. Slice the chicken breasts horizontally to make 4 thin cutlets. Place them between sheets of parchment paper and gently pound them to about 1/4 inch thick. Pat dry, season both sides with the salt and black pepper, then dredge lightly in the flour and shake off the excess.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon (tbsp) olive oil and the 1 tablespoon (tbsp) butter for searing in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 cutlets and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes on the first side and 1 to 2 minutes on the second, until golden. Transfer to a plate. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon (tbsp) olive oil and repeat with the other 2 cutlets.
  3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic to the skillet and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring, until fragrant without letting it brown.
  4. Pour in the chicken broth and lemon juice, then add the capers. Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan and simmer for about 3 to 4 minutes, until the sauce reduces slightly.
  5. Return the chicken and any collected juices to the skillet. Simmer for about 1 to 2 minutes, spooning the sauce over the cutlets, until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F.
  6. Remove the skillet from the heat. Swirl in the 2 tablespoons (tbsp) cold butter until the sauce looks glossy, then stir in the parsley. Spoon the lemon-caper sauce over the chicken, add the lemon slices and serve immediately.

COOKING GUIDANCE

Practical Cooking Notes

Doneness

165°F / 74°C

Return the browned cutlets to the sauce and cook until the thickest part reaches 165°F on a food thermometer. Thin cutlets cook quickly, so check promptly to avoid drying them out.

Make Ahead

Slice and pound the chicken and measure the sauce ingredients several hours ahead. Keep the chicken covered in the refrigerator and wait to season and flour it until shortly before cooking so the coating stays dry.

Recipe tools

Adapt This Recipe

Change the quantities, measurements, pan, cooking method or ingredients, then turn what you need into a shopping list.

Adapt the whole recipe → Scale the ingredient list and optionally change recognized measurements. Change the servings → Scale ingredient quantities without changing the measurement system. Convert a measurement → Choose a measurement from this recipe and convert it. Use a different pan → Load the original pan and compare it with the pan you want to use. Use an air fryer → Load the oven temperature and cooking time as an air-fryer starting point. Replace an ingredient → Choose an ingredient from this recipe and compare practical substitutes. Calculate the cost → Load the recipe ingredients, then enter the package prices you pay. Build a shopping list → Add the recipe ingredients to a list you can adjust and tick off.

Dietary options

Make This Recipe Work for You

Only straightforward swaps are offered automatically. If changing a defining ingredient would effectively create a different dish, that conversion is left out.

Make It Dairy-Free

Change the following ingredients:

Replace1 tablespoon (tbsp) unsalted butter, for searing

With1 tablespoon (tbsp) unsalted plant-based butter, for searing

Use the same quantity of a plant-based butter suited to cooking or baking as required.

Replace2 tablespoons (tbsp) cold unsalted butter

With2 tablespoons (tbsp) cold unsalted plant-based butter

Use the same quantity of a plant-based butter suited to cooking or baking as required.

Make It Gluten-Free

Change the following ingredient:

Replace1/2 US cup all-purpose flour

With1/2 US cup gluten-free all-purpose flour blend

For a coating, roux or modest thickening amount, use a one-for-one gluten-free all-purpose flour blend intended for cooking.

For allergies, intolerances or strict dietary requirements, check the labels of the specific products you use. These swaps do not certify a recipe or ingredient as allergen-free.

Recipe Notes

Ingredient Notes

Use thin chicken cutlets so they cook before the flour coating becomes too dark. Fresh lemon juice gives the sauce its cleanest flavor, while drained capers add the salty, briny contrast that defines piccata.

Useful Substitutions

Low-sodium chicken stock can replace the broth in the same quantity. Salted butter can replace unsalted butter, but reduce the added salt slightly because the capers also contribute salt.

INGREDIENT QUALITY

Quality Note

Fresh lemon juice makes a noticeable difference in the pan sauce. Use thin, evenly pounded chicken cutlets and shake off excess flour so the coating browns cleanly without making the sauce pasty.

SPEND LESS

Cost-Saving Tip

Whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts are often more flexible than pre-cut cutlets. Slice large breasts horizontally and pound them to an even thickness for the same style of chicken at home.

COOKING TIPS

Tips

Pound the Chicken Evenly

Aim for cutlets about 1/4 inch thick. Even thickness matters more than perfect shape because it helps every piece finish at the same time.

Shake Off Excess Flour

A light flour coating helps the chicken brown and gives the sauce a little body. Too much flour can turn pasty once the liquid is added.

Watch the Pan Heat

Cook the chicken in batches so the pan stays hot enough to brown it. If the browned bits begin to scorch, lower the heat before starting the sauce.

Add Butter Off the Heat

Take the pan off the heat before swirling in the final butter. This keeps the sauce glossy instead of oily and helps balance the lemon.

MAKE IT LAST

Storing, Freezing & Reheating

Storing

Refrigerate the chicken and sauce within 2 hours in a covered container and use within 3 to 4 days.

Freezing

Freeze cooled chicken with a little sauce in an airtight container for up to about 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator; the butter sauce may separate slightly after freezing.

Reheat in a Skillet

Warm the chicken gently in a skillet over medium-low heat with a small splash of chicken broth. Spoon the sauce over the cutlets and heat until the chicken reaches 165°F.

Reheat in the Microwave

Cover a portion loosely and microwave in short intervals until the chicken reaches 165°F. Add a spoonful of broth or water if the sauce has thickened.

ESTIMATED PER SERVING

Nutrition

1 of 4 servings

430 kcal Calories
21 g Fat 27% DV
8 g Saturated fat 40% DV
9 g Carbohydrate 3% DV
1 g Fiber 4% DV
1 g Sugars
49 g Protein
710 mg Sodium 31% DV
160 mg Cholesterol 53% DV

Nutrition information is an estimate. Where shown, % Daily Value uses standard US Daily Values for adults and children aged 4+; actual values vary with ingredient brands, exact quantities and portion size.

QUESTIONS

Chicken Piccata FAQs

What is chicken piccata?

Chicken piccata is made with thin chicken cutlets that are lightly floured, pan-seared and served in a bright pan sauce with lemon, butter and capers.

How thin should the chicken cutlets be?

About 1/4 inch thick is a useful target. Thin, even cutlets cook quickly and brown more evenly, while the final return to the sauce brings the chicken to 165°F.

Can I use bottled lemon juice?

Fresh lemon juice is strongly preferred because it gives the sauce a cleaner, brighter flavor. Bottled juice can taste harsher, so start with a little less if that is what you have.

Why is my chicken piccata sauce too sour?

Lemons vary in acidity. If the finished sauce tastes sharper than you like, add a small splash of chicken broth and swirl in a little more butter off the heat.

Can I prepare chicken piccata ahead of time?

You can slice and pound the chicken and measure the sauce ingredients several hours ahead. Keep the chicken refrigerated and wait to flour it until just before cooking so the coating stays dry.

MORE TO COOK

Related Recipes

Browse all recipes →

Looking for Something Else to Cook?

Browse more SinOrSlim recipes or use the recipe tools to adapt what you already have.

Browse Recipes
Recipe Tools