Chicken Piccata

Chicken Piccata is a quick and flavorful dish made with tender pan-seared chicken and a bright, buttery lemon-caper sauce. A little Italian, a little Italian-American, and a whole lot of comfort.

For more easy dinners, check out our feta pasta, chicken saltimbocca, Italian sausage pasta, and baked cod.

Chicken Piccata Recipe

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A little Italian, a little American, and a whole lot of comfort.

Chicken Piccata is one of those dishes that instantly brings us comfort. For me, it brings back memories of my nonna’s scaloppine al limone—thin slices of veal or chicken, gently dredged in flour and pan-seared, then coated in a bright lemony sauce. Chicken Piccata may be the Italian-American cousin, but the flavor and simplicity are just as authentic.

What Louise and I love most is how the sauce strikes that perfect balance—tangy from the lemon, briny from the capers, rich from the butter and white wine. It clings to the chicken without overpowering it. And that chicken! When it’s pounded thin and quickly seared, it stays incredibly tender and juicy, ready to soak up all that saucy goodness.

It’s the kind of recipe we come back to again and again—especially on busy weeknights when we want something cozy but quick. It’s elegant enough for dinner with friends, but simple enough for two. We tried it first with cacio e pepe, then with garlic mashed potatoes. Divine!

If you’re a fan of recipes like Chicken Marsala (with its earthy mushroom wine sauce) or our Lemon Chicken (which leans even more citrus-forward), you’ll love this one. It’s part of a family of recipes we return to often—easy, rustic, deeply flavorful.

Ingredients

For quantities, see recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Chicken breasts → can use chicken thighs or veal cutlets (for a more traditional scaloppine style)
All-purpose flour → try cornstarch or gluten-free flour for dredging
Olive oil → vegetable oil or avocado oil work well too
Unsalted butter → substitute with non-dairy butter or just more olive oil
Shallot → substitute garlic
Dry white wine → swap with chicken broth or a splash of white wine vinegar + water
Chicken broth → vegetable broth works fine
Fresh lemon juice → bottled lemon juice if necessary, but fresh is always best
Capers → green olives (chopped) or omit entirely
Fresh parsley → substitute a sprig of rosemary for parsley but add it earlier to the sauce
Lemon zest → for a pop of citrus without the extra acidity

How to make chicken piccata

1. Prepare the Chicken

Start with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Slice (butterfly) each one horizontally to create thinner cutlets—this helps them cook faster and more evenly. If needed, gently pound them with a meat mallet or the bottom of a glass until they’re about ½ inch thick. Season both sides with salt and pepper, then lightly dredge in flour. The flour helps give a golden crust and thickens the sauce later on.

Step picture 1_butterflied chicken cutlets on a cutting board and dredged in flour

2. Sear Until Golden

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Once hot, add the chicken and cook for about 3–4 minutes per side, until golden brown and just cooked through. Don’t overcook the chicken. If unsure use a kitchen thermometer and cook until 165°F (74°C). Once the chicken is done, set it aside on a plate and cover loosely to keep warm.

Step picture 2_Seared chicken cutlets in a skillet and set aside on a baking tray

3. Make the Sauce

In the same skillet, add a bit more oil and sauté the shallot for 30 seconds. Pour in the white wine and simmer for 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits. Add the broth, lemon juice, and capers, then let it bubble for about 3 minutes to reduce slightly. Lower the heat and whisk in cold butter to make the sauce silky.

For a thicker sauce, stir in a slurry of 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 3 tablespoon cold water, and simmer 1 minute more.

Step picture 3_Melting the butter in the sauce and making the sauce creamy

5. Return Chicken and Serve

Add the chicken back into the pan and spoon the sauce over the top. Let it simmer gently for a minute so everything comes together. Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon zest if you like, and serve right away.

If you're making pasta (cacio e pepe recommended) or mashed potatoes on the side, spoon some of that piccata sauce over the top—it’s so good!

Chicken piccata with capers and a creamy sauce.

Tips

Pound the chicken evenly so it cooks quickly and stays juicy—about ½ inch thick is perfect. Also, pounding the chicken tenderizes it making it more succulent.
Lightly dredge in flour to get a golden crust and help thicken the sauce.
Let the wine reduce for a minute or two to mellow the alcohol and concentrate the flavor.
Don’t overcook the chicken—it just needs to be golden and cooked through; it’ll finish gently in the sauce.
Don't be afraid to use a slurry to make the sauce thicker. You can make it by whisking 1 teaspoon of cornstarch in 3 tablespoon of water. We always do this as we love creamier sauces.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I use instead of wine?

You can substitute with more chicken broth, or a splash of white wine vinegar plus water. Apple cider vinegar works too—just go easy to avoid overpowering the lemon.

How do I make the sauce thicker?

Add a cornstarch slurry: mix 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of cold water and stir it into the sauce. Let it simmer for a minute to thicken. Just remember that cornstarch must be dissolved in cold water before adding to a hot liquid.

Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?

Yes! Boneless, skinless thighs work well. Just trim any excess fat and pound them a bit thinner if needed. They’re slightly juicier and more forgiving.

Is chicken piccata the same as scaloppine al limone?

They’re very similar—especially in flavor. I grew up eating scaloppine made by my Italian nonna, and honestly, this Chicken Piccata tastes almost identical. Traditionally, scaloppine is made with veal, though chicken is just as common these days. The main difference is in technique: with scaloppine, the sauce is often built directly in the pan with the cutlets still in it, while in piccata the chicken is usually removed briefly before finishing the sauce. Either way, both dishes are quick, lemony, and full of flavor.

Can you make it ahead?

You can prep the chicken and even make the sauce a few hours ahead—just keep them separate and reheat gently. It’s best fresh, but leftovers still taste great the next day.

How do you store it?

Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a pan over low heat, adding a splash of broth or water to loosen the sauce.
Freezer: You can freeze the cooked chicken and sauce together for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat slowly on the stove. The sauce may separate slightly but will come back together with a little stirring.

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