There’s a reason chicken piccata has been a restaurant staple for decades—it’s simple, bold, and consistently delicious. That bright lemony sauce with capers brings just the right balance of tangy and savory, while the chicken stays tender and flavorful. It’s one of those dishes you see on menus everywhere for a reason, and it never really goes out of style.
What makes it even better is that you don’t have to go out to enjoy it. This is a true weeknight favorite because it comes together in about 30 minutes with ingredients you probably already have on hand. A quick sear, a simple pan sauce, and suddenly you’ve got something that tastes like it came from a restaurant without the extra time or effort.
It’s the kind of meal that feels a little elevated but is still completely doable on a busy night. Whether you serve it with pasta, rice, or a simple side, it delivers big flavor in a short amount of time. Once you realize how easy it is to make at home, it quickly becomes one of those go-to dinners you keep coming back to.
How to make chicken piccata
Chicken Piccata
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts (sliced into 4 total pieces)
- kosher salt & black pepper
- garlic powder
- 1 cup flour
- 1/4 cup olive oil (divided)
- 1/2 cup capers (drained)
- 4 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 3 tbsp lemon juice (1.5 lemons)
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Season both sides of the chicken breast with salt, pepper, and garlic powder
- In a small bowl combine flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Dredge all 4 chicken breast pieces i the flour mixture and shack off excess flour. Place on a plate and let rest 10 minutes
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet until hot. Add 2 pieces of chicken at a time and cook until browned (about 5 minutes total), flipping at the 2 minute mark
- transfer all chicken to a plate when all 4 pieces have been cooked
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to skillet (dont wipe anything out). Add capers and garlic and sautee for 30 seconds. Add wine and cook for 2 minutes, using the wine to loosen anything that was stuck to the pan. The wine should reduce by 50%.
- Add chicken broth and lemon juice and simmer to 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and all the butter. Dip each chicken breast back into the sauce before serving. Top all chicken with the remaining caper butter sauce
- Serve over pasta or mashed potatoes
