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Classic Chicken Piccata is a perfect recipe for a busy weeknight. The chicken takes 20 minutes to prep and cook, pair it with pasta and a delicious dinner is on the table in no time! Lemony sauce, paired with salty capers and tender chicken cutlets will ensure this is a family favorite!

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Quick and easy does not mean that dinner needs to come from a box or the freezer. Busy weeknights can make it challenging to fit in the time to prepare a healthy, wholesome AND tasty dinner. Chicken Piccata will tick off all of those boxes! If you have never made Chicken Piccata, you will be pleasantly surprised how quickly and easily it is to make a restaurant quality meal for your family.

Chicken Piccata with pasta
#chicken
#easydinner
#foodie

Capers make this dish really pop with a salty burst of flavor in your mouth. If you have picky eaters in your house, who may balk at the idea of capers in their chicken, you can always separate your chicken prior to adding the capers to the dish.

Great Companion to Pasta!

A bowl of pasta is a perfect companion to Chicken Piccata! To create an amazing pasta sauce, take 1/4 of the lemon sauce prior to adding the capers and pour over a bowl of pasta. Add a tablespoon of olive oil, a minced garlic clove and top with a generous amount of freshly shredded parmesan cheese!

I prefer shredded parmesan to grated on my pastas. The thicker shreds offer better flavor of the aged cheese and compliment the lemon sauce. Penne makes a perfect pasta shape for Chicken Piccata. Throw in a few veggies for a healthier punch to this meal. Sweet grape tomatoes or a few marinated artichokes hearts…mmmm, such a great combination!

Print Recipe

Chicken Piccata

Prep Time5

Cook Time12

Total Time17

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: Chicken, Dinner, Easy Weeknight Dinner, Healthy, Lemon

Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (about 1½ pounds)
½ Cup Flour
2 Shallots
2 Lemons
1½ Cups Chicken Broth
3 TBSP Butter
3 TBSP Olive Oil Extra Virgin
2 Oz. Capers
⅓ Cup Fresh Parsley

Instructions

Prepare your ingredients. Mince the shallots. Zest the lemons, halve and juice. Chop parsley. Set aside separately.
Pat the chicken breasts dry. Cut each breast into 3 equal pieces. Cover with plastic wrap and pound breasts to about ½ inch thickness. Season each side of the chicken with salt and pepper.
Add flour to a plate and dredge each chicken cutlet in the flour so that each side is well coated with flour. Shake off excess and place on a separate plate.
In a large skillet, add 2 TBSP olive oil and 1 TBSP butter and heat over medium-high heat. Add the chicken cutlets and cook on one side until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Flip the cutlets and cook until the internal temperature of the meat has reached 165°, about another 3 minutes. Remove chicken from the pan to a plate and tent with foil.
In the same pan as the chicken was cooked, add 1TBSP of Olive Oil and the shallots. Cook until fragant, about one minute.
Stir in the chicken broth, lemon juice and 1 TSP of the lemon zest. Bring to a boil and scrape the browned bits for added flavor. Stir occasionally while cooking. Allow to cook for about 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened.
Remove from heat and swirl in the remaining 2 TBSP of butter. Stir in capers.
Spoon lemon-caper sauce over plated chicken. Garnish with remaining lemon zest and fresh parsley.
Enjoy immediately!

If you do not have capers to make this recipe, you could substitute them with diced green olives. They offer a similar salty, brininess as capers however, you will lose that little burst that capers have when you bite into them.

Lemony Chicken Piccata is a great dish for a large party! I love preparing amazing dishes that will delight and amaze my guests. Everyone will think you had your party catered if you offer up a big pan of this traditional Italian food. Making ahead of time and then reheating and impact some of the freshness of the lemon flavor. I would recommend making your chicken ahead of time, then create your sauce just before your dinner party to ensure the best lemon freshness!