Quick Lemon Butter Piccata Chicken
A fast and flavorful lemon butter piccata chicken recipe ready in just 15 minutes, perfect for busy weeknights. The tangy lemon and buttery sauce with capers creates a comforting and elegant dish.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced thinly
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (or almond flour/gluten-free blend for gluten-free option)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Juice of 1 large lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
- 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons drained capers
- Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Slice chicken breasts horizontally into thin cutlets about 1/2 inch thick. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Place flour in a shallow bowl and lightly coat each chicken cutlet, shaking off excess.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer and cook about 3 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove chicken and tent with foil to keep warm.
- Lower heat to medium. Add butter and minced garlic to the same pan and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
- Pour in chicken broth and lemon juice, scraping up browned bits. Let sauce simmer gently for 2-3 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Off the heat, whisk in cold butter gradually to create a silky emulsified sauce. Stir in capers and chopped parsley.
- Return chicken to the pan, spoon sauce over each piece, and warm through for 1 minute. Plate and garnish with extra parsley or lemon slices if desired.
Notes
For gluten-free, substitute all-purpose flour with almond flour or gluten-free blend. For dairy-free, replace butter with olive oil or vegan butter substitute. Add cold butter off heat gradually to prevent sauce breaking. If sauce is too tangy, add a pinch of sugar or a splash of cream. Thinly sliced chicken helps sauce cling better. Rinse capers if too salty.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast cut
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 1
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 8
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 30
Keywords: lemon butter chicken, piccata chicken, quick dinner, easy chicken recipe, weeknight meal, capers, lemon sauce