Lemon Chicken Piccata
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This Lemon Chicken Piccata is bright, buttery, and packed with bold flavor, yet comes together in just about 30 minutes. It seriously tastes as if it came straight from a restaurant, but it’s simple enough for any night of the week or a fun date-night at home!
If you’ve been around a while, you might remember this recipe on my site from before. I recently retested it and added a secret ingredient (scroll down to see what it is😉) to really take it to the next level and give it that restaurant-quality.
I recommend serving this lemon chicken piccata over pasta, mashed potatoes, rice, or with crusty bread to really soak up all the rich and tangy sauce. Or if you’re looking for a lighter option, try serving it over zucchini noodles (aka zoodles!) for lower carb (but just as delicious) option!
If you’re looking for more date-night worthy recipes, try my Steak Alfredo, Pappardelle Bolognese, Italian Sausage and Peppers Pasta or
Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Breast.
Table Talk with Tawnie
Piccata is one of those dinners that feels so elevated but is actually so simple. I’m just a home cook, but my chef’s move in this recipe is adding in a pinch of MSG. It’s a simple way to add more umami and depth to the sauce, and it makes this better than your favorite restaurant. This recipe is a win in so many ways… elevated but easy, my kids and hubby love it equally, and you can sip a glass of white wine while you cook!
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts sliced in half lengthwise and pounded to an even 1/4-inch thickness. This helps the chicken cook quickly and evenly while staying tender and juicy.
- Seasonings: A simple blend of kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper for balanced flavor, plus a pinch of MSG (which is the secret ingredient that boosts umami and gives the sauce that irresistible, restaurant-quality depth).
- Lemons: Fresh lemon juice and zest are key here. The juice adds bright acidity, while the zest brings concentrated citrus flavor that really makes the sauce pop.
- Dry white wine: Use something crisp and dry like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. I always recommend choosing a wine you’d enjoy drinking so you can sip while you cook😉
- Capers: A classic part of chicken piccata. Capers add a briny, salty bite that balances the richness of the butter and complements the bright lemon sauce perfectly.
Step by Step Directions
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
Prep the chicken
Slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise, then pound to about 1/4-inch thickness. Mix seasonings together in a bowl and season both sides of the chicken. Lightly dredge in flour, then shake off the excess.
Sear the chicken
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 2-3 minutes per side, then transfer to a plate and set aside.
Build the sauce
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and sauté for ~30 seconds. Pour in wine and scrape up browned bits from the pan, and reduce for 3 minutes. Then add chicken broth, lemon juice, and capers, and simmer for another few minutes. Finally, lower the heat and stir in cold butter until it’s melted and smooth.
Bring everything together
Return chicken to the pan and spoon the sauce over top. Simmer for a few minutes until warmed through so the sauce has time to thicken slightly.
Serve & enjoy!
Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon zest and serve immediately with pasta of choice, mashed potatoes, orzo, or crusty fresh bread!
Expert Tips
- Pound the chicken evenly: Keeping the chicken at an even 1/4-inch thickness ensures it cooks quickly and stays tender instead of drying out.
- Don’t skip dredging: A light coating helps the chicken develop a golden crust and gives the sauce something to cling to.
- Use fresh lemon juice: Bottled juice won’t give you the same bright, clean flavor. Fresh REALLY makes a difference here.
- Let the pan work for you: After cooking the chicken, use those browned bits (fond) to build your sauce. This is where a ton of flavor comes from!!
- Reduce the sauce slightly: Letting the sauce simmer for a few minutes helps it thicken and intensify in flavor.
Variations / Substitutions
- Gluten-free option: Use a gluten-free flour like Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour.
- Add greens: Toss in a handful of spinach or kale at the end and let it wilt into the sauce.
- Serving ideas: Serve this chicken piccata with whatever sounds good to you! Of course, pasta is a classic, but you can also serve it with rice, mashed potatoes, orzo, or crusty bread!
- Low-carb serving ideas: If you want to watch the carbs, serve over zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice, or with roasted vegetables instead of pasta.
- Extra briny flavor: If you love capers, add a little splash of the caper brine to the sauce for even more punch.
Easy Zoodles Recipe!
When I originally published this recipe, I served the chicken piccata over zoodles! These days I’m loving it over pasta or mashed potatoes, but if you’re looking for a lower-carb option, these zoodles are the way to go (or, you can just buy them pre-spiralized at the store).
Ingredients
- 6 small zucchini (or 2-3 large)
- 1 tsp. salt
How To Make
- Spiralize the zucchini. Toss zucchini with 1/2 tsp. salt in a strainer and set over a bowl; let sit for 15 minutes. Gently squeeze zucchini noodles to release any liquid, discard the liquid and place the zucchini in a bowl, set aside for now.
- Make sure all excess water is removed from zoodles, but be careful to not squeeze the zucchini too much so it doesn’t get mushy. Add zoodles to a non stick sauce pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, or just until zoodles become warm. Do not overcook zoodles, they will get soggy.
Storage / Freezing
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days.
- Reheat gently: Warm in a skillet over low heat or microwave in short intervals, adding a splash of broth or water to loosen the sauce if needed.
- Freezing: You can freeze chicken piccata, but keep in mind the sauce may separate slightly when reheated. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
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Lemon Chicken Piccata
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. MSG
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (for dredging)
- 2-3 Tbsp olive oil (or more as needed)
For the sauce
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1-2 lemons)
- 2-3 Tbsp capers
- 2-3 Tbsp cold unsalted butter
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
- Lemon zest (optional)
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Prep the chicken: Slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise (cut completely all the way, not butterflied). Place on a piece of plastic wrap, then lay another piece of plastic wrap on top of the chicken, and pound to about 1/4-inch thickness. Mix seasonings together in a bowl and season both sides with seasonings, then lightly dredge in flour, shaking off excess.2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 tsp. kosher salt, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1/2 tsp. onion powder, 1/4 tsp. black pepper, 1/4 tsp. MSG, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- Sear the chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 2-3 minutes per side Start Timer, until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding the skillet. Carefully wipe out the pan if needed, leaving a few of the brown bits behind.2-3 Tbsp olive oil
- Build the sauce: Reduce the heat to medium. Add garlic and sauté for ~30 seconds. Pour in wine and scrape up browned bits from the pan. Reduce for 3 minutes Start Timer. Then add chicken broth, lemon juice, and capers. Simmer for another 3-4 minutes. Start Timer3 cloves garlic, 1/2 cup dry white wine, 1/2 cup chicken broth, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 2-3 Tbsp capers
- Finish the sauce: Lower the heat and stir in cold butter until melted and the sauce is glossy.2-3 Tbsp cold unsalted butter
- Bring it all together: Return chicken to the pan and spoon sauce over top. I like to give the pan a tilt to get the sauce and spoon it evenly over the chicken. Be sure to simmer for 1-2 minutes Start Timer until warmed through so the sauce has time to thicken slightly. Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon zest if using, and serve immediately with pasta of choice, mashed potatoes, orzo, or crusty fresh bread.2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley, Lemon zest
Notes
- Chicken breasts: To cut the chicken breasts, slice the chicken breast in half; place the boneless, skinless chicken breast on a cutting board, and hold it flat with the palm of your non-knife hand. Using a sharp chef’s knife, slice the chicken breast horizontally into two even pieces.
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free flour such as almond flour if needed for a gluten-free diet.
- This recipe was updated in May 2026 with updates to the recipe and new photos.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
📸 Photography by Creating Kaitlin
Delicious!
Thank you so much!
This looks so fresh and light, a perfect spring dinner. Do you use the Inspiralized spiralizer? My handheld spiralizer doesn’t make anything as pretty as your zoodles!
Thank you ! I got mine from Sur La Table!! 🙂
there just isn’t anything more exciting in the world than when my taste buds do a happy dance….
Lol:)