Description
This Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata features tender pan-fried chicken breasts in a luscious lemon-caper cream sauce, perfect for a comforting and elegant meal served over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5–8 oz. each)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup flour
Cooking Fat
- 3 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Sauce
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water (optional, to thicken)
Garnish
- Lemon slices
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Pound the chicken breasts to an even 1 inch thickness and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Dredge Chicken: Coat the chicken evenly with flour, shaking off any excess.
- Pan-Fry Chicken: In a skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter with olive oil. Fry chicken for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
- Sauté Garlic: Melt remaining butter in the skillet and add minced garlic. Sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Make Sauce: Reduce heat to medium-low. Pour in chicken broth and scrape browned bits from the pan. Add heavy cream and bring to a gentle boil.
- Add Flavorings: Stir in capers, lemon juice, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Thicken Sauce: Simmer gently until sauce reduces and thickens. For quicker thickening, add cornstarch slurry and stir until desired consistency is reached.
- Combine Chicken and Sauce: Return chicken to the pan and spoon sauce over it. Simmer for 1-2 minutes until chicken is heated through.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with extra parsley and lemon slices. Serve hot over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes with vegetables.
Notes
- Deglaze with dry white wine before adding chicken broth to deepen sauce flavor.
- Add freshly grated Parmesan cheese to the sauce for a richer taste.
- Season chicken with paprika and garlic powder along with salt and pepper for extra flavor.
- Include a dash of red pepper flakes to add a spicy kick.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg
