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Home » Ingredient » Chicken

Chicken

Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata

Published: July 2, 2023   |   Updated: February 5, 2024   |   24 Comments

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4.9 from 8 reviews
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Creamy lemon chicken piccata is a delicious 30-minute meal with lightly breaded chicken breasts smothered in a garlic and caper cream sauce. This quick and easy chicken goes great over a bed of pasta, egg noodles, or rice for a simple but flavorful weeknight dinner.

A generous serving of creamy lemon chicken piccata on a white plate topped with fresh parsley and sliced lemons.

Today we’re making some creamy lemon chicken piccata with flattened chicken breasts dredged in flour, pan-fried until golden brown and crispy and finished off with a buttery, zesty light cream sauce flavored with lemon, capers and parsley. The bright and zesty flavors of lemon and capers compliment the cream sauce well to give you a fresh-tasting but comforting twist on the classic chicken piccata.

It goes well with long-type pasta like angel hair, spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine to soak up all that cream sauce. There are also many ways to customize it to your tastes like adding a splash of dry white wine while deglazing, adding some grated Parmesan cheese to make it richer, or spicing it up a little with a few dashes of red pepper flakes.

30-minute meals are a great way to get dinner on the table quickly. For more quick and easy recipes, try this easy air fryer salmon, baked Parmesan-crusted chicken, creamy Tuscan chicken pasta, garlic butter baked chicken, or this creamy garlic butter salmon.

Ingredients in Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata

Ingredients for making creamy lemon chicken piccata in prep bowls.

CREAMY LEMON CHICKEN PICCATA RECIPE TIPS

  • Chicken – This recipe uses chicken breasts on the smaller side (about 5-8 oz. each). If you have large chicken breasts, cut 2 breasts in half lengthwise to get 4 chicken cutlets. Pound the chicken breasts to 1″ thickness so it cooks evenly. You can use a meat mallet and place the chicken breasts between some plastic wrap, parchment paper, or in a Ziploc bag.
  • Two-hand seasoning method – The easiest way to minimize hand washing while seasoning meat is to use the wet and dry hand method. Use your dominant hand to sprinkle seasoning onto the meat and use your other hand to pat in seasonings and flip the chicken.
  • Seasoning – Work the salt and pepper into the chicken breasts by massaging them in.
Four step-by-step photos on how to make creamy lemon chicken piccata in a skillet.
Four step-by-step photos on how to make creamy lemon chicken piccata in a skillet.
  • Flour – Flour gives the chicken a light breading with a crispy golden crust. Dredge to coat the chicken on both sides and shake off any excess flour.
  • Searing – Use a wide 12” skillet so you have plenty of room to pan-fry the chicken breasts evenly for better browning.
  • Butter – I like using Land O Lakes butter. The half sticks are perfect for slicing off into cubes and they come with measurements by the tablespoon or cup written onto the packaging so you can skip measuring spoonfuls of butter.
Creamy lemon chicken piccata in a stainless steel skillet topped with lemon slices and chopped fresh parsley.
  • Garlic – Since this dish emphasizes fresh flavors, try using fresh garlic. You can always substitute it with garlic powder but I highly recommend fresh garlic for the best flavor.
  • Chicken broth – Use chicken broth to deglaze the pan after pan-frying the chicken. Scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan to mix in with the cream sauce and add more flavor. Feel free to substitute with low-sodium chicken broth for a healthier option. You can also deglaze with a dry white wine – cook off the wine until reduced then add the chicken broth.
  • Heavy cream – This makes the sauce creamy. We cook it down until the sauce is thick and creamy. You can also add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese for a richer sauce.
Creamy lemon chicken piccata in a stainless steel skillet topped with lemon slices and chopped fresh parsley.
  • Capers – These add a bold, salty and tangy flavor and taste a little like brined green olives.
  • Lemon juice – Use fresh lemons so you can add sliced lemons as a garnish before serving for even more flavor.
  • Parsley – I used Italian flat-leaf parsley and garnished it before serving. You could also throw some parsley to wilt in the sauce and garnish with more.
Some cream sauce spooned over the lightly battered creamy lemon chicken piccata.
  • Thickening – If you prefer a thicker cream sauce, use a cornstarch slurry and simmer until the sauce has thickened.
  • Leftovers – Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
  • Reheat – Reheat in the microwave or a pan over low heat. Add a splash of milk if needed to loosen up the sauce when reheating.
A generous serving of creamy lemon chicken piccata on a white plate topped with fresh parsley and sliced lemons.

Customize It!

  • Deglaze with wine – Add a splash of dry white wine to deglaze the pan and add more flavor to the sauce. Let it cook off before adding in the chicken broth.
  • Add some Parmesan – Sprinkle some freshly grated Parmesan in the sauce for a richer sauce.
  • Add more flavor – Season the chicken with paprika and garlic powder along with the salt and pepper.
  • Spice it up – Add a little kick with a dash of red pepper flakes.

What to Serve with Creamy Chicken Piccata

Creamy chicken piccata is hearty a meal on its own paired with pasta, egg noodles, or rice. You can serve it with some starters like homemade garlic bread, cheesy garlic bread, or garlic Parmesan knots.

You can also serve it over some mashed potatoes to soak up all that sauce with a side of vegetables like broccoli, asparagus, green beans, brussels sprouts, or some zucchini.

And that’s about it. Let me know how you liked it, what substitutions you made, or what you paired it with in the comments below.

This post was originally published on February 18, 2015 and updated on July 2, 2023.

MORE ZESTY RECIPES TO TRY

  • Light Lemon Garlic Pasta with Salmon
  • Salmon Piccata
  • Lemon Garlic Butter Baked Shrimp
  • Lemon Pepper Chicken Alfredo Pasta
  • Creamy Salmon Pasta

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A generous serving of creamy lemon chicken piccata on a white plate topped with fresh parsley and sliced lemons.

Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.9 from 8 reviews

  • Author: The Cooking Jar
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
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Description

Creamy lemon chicken piccata is a delicious 30-minute meal with lightly breaded chicken breasts smothered in a garlic and caper cream sauce.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5–8 oz. each)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 3 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 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
  • Lemon slices, to garnish

Instructions

  1. Pound the chicken breasts to an even 1” thickness with a meat mallet and season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.
  2. Dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess.
  3. In a 12” skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter and add olive oil. Pan-fry the chicken on each side until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.
  4. Melt remaining butter and toss in garlic. Saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  5. Reduce heat to medium-low, pour in chicken broth and scrape up the browned bits stuck to the pan. Add heavy cream and bring to a gentle boil.
  6. Add capers, lemon juice and parsley. Do a taste test and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Simmer the sauce gently until it has reduced a little and is thick and creamy, or add the cornstarch slurry for a quicker, thicker sauce.
  8. Add chicken back to the pan and spoon the sauce over the chicken. Simmer in the sauce until the chicken is heated through, about 1-2 minutes.
  9. Garnish with more parsley and lemon slices. Dish and serve hot over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes and veggies.
  10. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Deglaze with wine – Add a splash of dry white wine to deglaze the pan and add more flavor to the sauce. Let it cook off before adding in the chicken broth.
  • Add some Parmesan – Sprinkle some freshly grated Parmesan in the sauce for a richer sauce.
  • Add more flavor – Season the chicken with paprika and garlic powder along with the salt and pepper.
  • Spice it up – Add a little kick with a dash of red pepper flakes.
  • Scroll up to RECIPE TIPS for more useful tips, suggestions and ingredient substitutions.
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins

Did you make this recipe?

Let me know how you liked it, what substitutions you made, or what you paired it with in the comments below. If you enjoyed it, help me out with a  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ star rating!

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posted in: Chicken, Main Dishes, Quick and Easy, Stovetop

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    Comments & Reviews

  1. Sally G says

    December 24, 2024

    Very good & next time I will add parmigiana reggiano when putting the chicken ack in. Served with linguini with truffles from Sorrento! Christmas Eve dinner was very appreciated!

    Reply
  2. MONICA V. says

    February 26, 2024

    HI 🙋🏻‍♀️
    MY FAMILY & I LOVED 🙌🙌🥰THIS EASY DELICIOUS RECIPE. I WAS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO MAKE AGAIN WITH CHICKEN. I PLATED CHICKEN OVER A BED OF THICK PASTA NOODLES, 😋
    NEXT TIME I WILL DOUBLE THE SAUCE.
    THANK YOU FOR THIS EASY, FUN DELICIOUS RECIPE🙋🏻‍♀️🫶🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🙌

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      April 3, 2024

      You’re very welcome, Monica! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe this much. Lots of emoticons usually mean it turned out really well 😀 Love the the pairing with the pasta and yes, definitely double the sauce so the pasta can be coated fully.

      Reply
  3. Joanne Devenny says

    January 16, 2024

    Easy and delicious!

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      January 18, 2024

      Thanks for trying this recipe out and letting me know it was a hit! Appreciate the comment, Joanne.

      Reply
  4. PJ NEWMAN says

    August 6, 2023

    good instructions made it easy and it is delicious!

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      August 10, 2023

      I’m always happy to hear the tips and instructions help – I try really hard to be as thorough as possible. Thanks for trying it out!

      Reply
  5. Josie says

    April 11, 2017

    once again this was a huge hit Farah, love your recipes 🙂

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      April 17, 2017

      It’s always great hearing from you, Josie! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Matthew says

    June 27, 2016

    Surprisingly tasty for how easy it was! I made this for my girlfriends family and they loved it.

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      July 5, 2016

      Hi Matthew! Thanks for sharing the recipe with your (extended) family! I’m super happy it worked out for you guys.

      Reply
  7. Dewi says

    June 16, 2015

    Great recipe!

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      June 16, 2015

      Thanks, Dewi!

      Reply
  8. Amanda says

    April 8, 2015

    Hi, I stumbled across your page a couple of days ago and have to say I’m loving it! I made this recipe tonight and your mini shepherds pie last night. I had to rejig them a bit (I live in Australia so some things not always available and I had to use what I had in the fridge) but they were both a great success! Congrats on such a great website! I’m sure I will be trying more in the future 🙂

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      April 9, 2015

      Oh I love those mini shepherd’s pot pies. They’re such a treat! I’m glad you managed to make do with what you have and it turned out great for you, Amanda! Good luck with the next recipes 🙂

      Reply
  9. The Cooking Jar says

    February 24, 2015

    I totally went crazy with fresh tilapia and lemon pepper last year. It was just so goood! And thanks for the tip, I need to try it out one day now I have a nice zester 🙂

    Reply
  10. Kelly says

    February 22, 2015

    We made this last night for my niece and we all loved it! We had a whole chicken that my husband cut up and skinned, but due to the bones we did not pound the chicken. By doubling up the rest of the ingredients everything was well seasoned. I knew there would be leftovers so the sauce was served separately and it ended up being used on the roasted potatoes….yummy! This recipe is a keeper!

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      February 24, 2015

      Great work on adapting the recipe with what you had. That’s the beauty of cooking. You can make do with what you have in most cases 🙂 This is a great example of how my recipes are just a general guide or road map and you pick how to get there! And a great idea using the leftover sauce on roasted potatoes, Kelly!

      Reply
  11. Thalia @ butter and brioche says

    February 22, 2015

    I love how quick this is to make.. 30 minutes is usually all the time I commit to making weeknight dinners so I have to try this recipe!

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      February 22, 2015

      It’s super easy but yummy, Thalia!

      Reply
  12. Erica Lea | Buttered Side Up says

    February 19, 2015

    This looks so very good – and easy! Definitely going on my list of Supper Ideas. 🙂

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      February 20, 2015

      Happy eating, Erica!

      Reply
  13. Alicia says

    February 18, 2015

    I made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious! I will be adding this dish to collection of recipes. This website is awesome, keep the delicious recipes coming!

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      February 19, 2015

      Thanks for trying it out, Alicia. I love it when someone tries out something I posted on the same day! Even more when they let me know how they like it!!!

      Reply

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