Creamy Chicken Piccata (Printable)

Pan-fried chicken in a luscious creamy lemon and caper sauce—bright, tangy, and irresistibly comforting.

# What you'll need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.3 lbs)
02 - ½ tsp salt
03 - ¼ tsp black pepper
04 - ½ cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
05 - 2 tbsp olive oil
06 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter

→ Sauce

07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - ½ cup dry white wine (or chicken broth)
09 - ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
10 - ½ cup heavy cream
11 - ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
12 - 2 tbsp capers, rinsed and drained
13 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
14 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

# Preparation steps:

01 - Place chicken breasts between two sheets of parchment and pound to ½-inch thickness. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
02 - Dredge chicken breasts in flour, shaking off excess.
03 - Heat olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 4–5 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
04 - In the same skillet, add remaining 1 tbsp butter. Sauté garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Pour in wine (or chicken broth) and simmer, scraping up any browned bits, until reduced by half (about 2 minutes).
06 - Add chicken broth, heavy cream, and lemon juice. Stir and simmer for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened.
07 - Stir in capers and return chicken to the skillet. Spoon sauce over chicken and simmer 2–3 minutes to heat through. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve immediately with pasta, rice, or crusty bread.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The sauce creates this perfect balance of tangy lemon brightness and rich creaminess that will make you want to lick the plate when nobody is looking.
  • Its one of those rare impressive dishes where the prep work is minimal but guests always think youve spent hours in the kitchen.
02 -
  • I learned the hard way that skipping the pounding step results in chicken that cooks unevenly, with some parts dry and others underdone.
  • Adding the lemon juice too early can cause the cream to curdle, so I always add it after the cream has been in the pan for at least a minute.
03 -
  • Let the pan get genuinely hot before adding your chicken, otherwise, youll end up steaming rather than searing, and that golden crust is half the pleasure of the dish.
  • After youve finished cooking, add a small pat of cold butter right at the end and swirl it into the sauce off the heat for an extra silky, glossy finish that makes the dish look and taste like it came from a high-end restaurant.
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