Lemon Chicken Piccata with Zoodles is great for an easy weeknight dinner but also fancy enough for a dinner party. This Classic Italian dish has proved a favorite year after year and my variety is lightened up with zucchini noodles!
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Aren’t making zoodles so much fun? Just like spaghetti squash, zoodles are a great alternative for a low-carb dish.
Zoodles have only ~35 calories per cup, are high in potassium and vitamin C; compared to spaghetti squash zoodles have more protein per serving as well! So zoodles are not only fun to eat but are healthy for you too! (win win!)
How to make zucchini noodles
Start by trimming off the ends of the zucchini. Personally, I don’t remove the skin before making into zoodles but if you’d like you can peel the skin off.
Using a Spiralizer machine or a KitchenAid attachment, align your zucchini sideways so its end meets the blade. Then poke the claw insert into the opposite end of the vegetable so it’s held steadily in place; feed the zucchini into the grating blades. Keep turning until the zucchini is completely spiralized.
Then there you have it! Those long curly strands are zucchini noodles AKA zoodles!
How To Make Zucchini Noodles Without a Spiralizer
Use a vegetable peeler. Apply light pressure with a vegetable peeler along the sides of the zucchini. You’ll end up with wide, fettuccine-like slices.
Ingredients to make Lemon Chicken Piccata
Chicken Breasts
Flour
Lemon
Capers
Butter
Zucchini
White Wine or Chicken Broth
Garlic
Olive Oil
Basil
Canned Diced Tomatoes (if you want to top on the chicken)
Salt & Pepper
How to make Chicken Piccata
This chicken has the perfect balance of lemon, garlic and white wine that marry so well together. I also love that the sauce picks up every bit of the delicious browned bits left in the pan and is just the right amount of lemony. Here’s how to make it:
First you will spiralize the zucchini. Place all zoodles in a colander and toss with salt. Let zoodles strain for about 15-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat butter in a frying pan over medium high heat. Sprinkle both sides of chicken evenly with salt and pepper and garlic powder. Dredge chicken in flour in shallow dish; shake off excess. Place chicken cutlets in pan (do not crowd the pan) and brown well on each side, about 3 minutes per side.
Remove the chicken from the pan and reserve to a plate so you can make the sauce.
Add in the capers, lemon juice of 1 lemon, white wine, and garlic. Use a spatula to scrape up the browned bits. Add in corn starch slurry to thicken sauce.
Plate chicken and garnish with lemon slices and fresh parsley over zoodles or pasta.
What to serve with Chicken Piccata
This dish is so versatile so you can serve it with just about anything!
Zoodles
Angel hair pasta (whole-grain!)
Roasted Vegetables
Mashed Potatoes
Couscous
Orzo
The sauce picks up every bit of the delicious browned bits left in the pan and is just the right amount of lemony.
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.
For the chicken:
Meanwhile, sprinkle both sides of chicken evenly with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour in a shallow dish; shake off excess. Set the chicken on a plate and repeat with remaining chicken.
Heat 2 Tbsp. butter and 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a frying pan over medium high heat.
Once hot, place chicken cutlets in pan (do not crowd the pan) and brown on each side, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and set on a new plate. (Chicken will not be fully cooked yet, that's OK)
Turn the heat to medium-low and to the same pan, add in the capers, lemon juice, white wine, and garlic. Whisk in remaining 2 Tbsp. butter. Use a spatula to scrape up the browned bits if needed. Bring the sauce to a simmer and then thicken by adding in a cornstarch slurry: 1 Tbsp. cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp. water. While the sauce is simmering, mix the water and cornstarch together in a small dish and whisk into the sauce. Continue to whisk, the sauce will begin to thicken.
Place the chicken back into the pan, spoon some of the sauce over the chicken. Place a lid on the pan and turn heat to low. Let cook for 10-15 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
For the zoodles
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.
For the tomatoes (optional but yummy to add on top of chicken)
Empty can of diced tomatoes in a small saucepan. Add in basil, pinch of salt & pepper and 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil. Bring to slight boil, or hot enough to top on zoodles and chicken.
Plate chicken and garnish with lemon slices, fresh parsley, and the tomatoes if desired over zoodles or a whole grain noodle.
Video
Notes
How to cut boneless skinless chicken breasts into cutlets: 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. Use gluten-free flour such as almond flour if needed for a gluten-free diet.
Welcome to my tiny “korner” on the Internet! I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who loves cookies as much as kale. (OK, maybe I like cookies a little bit more but shh, don’t tell anyone). I am so glad you’re here! Follow along for hassle free, realistic and approachable recipes.
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!
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:)