One of our most favorite chicken dinner recipes is definitely Lemon Chicken Picatta! This recipe is a family favorite and easy to prepare with just a few simple ingredients.
Delicious and Easy Lemon Chicken Piccata
Make this restaurant quality, easy & delicious chicken piccata with butter, fresh lemon and plenty of capers. Piccata is an Italian dish that simply means to sauté your chicken and then serve in a delicious sauce of lemon, butter, and capers! Yum!
One of the nicest things about this chicken recipe is that it is simple to prepare and so fresh tasting.
We like to sauté our chicken pieces in olive oil and lemon, then add in the butter and capers to make a light and tasty sauce.
Ingredients Needed for this Chicken Picatta Recipe:
- boneless chicken breasts
- flour
- salt
- garlic powder
- baking powder
- lemons
- olive oil
- butter
- chicken broth or chicken
- capers
Your Family will Love this Easy Lemon Chicken Piccata for a Family Dinner.
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1-1/4 lb. boneless chicken breasts, pounded thin
- 2 medium lemons one cut into 4 wedges, the other lemon sliced.
- 1-1/2 tablepsoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons capers
-
Combine the flour, salt, baking powder and garlic powder.
-
Place each chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound lightly with a meat mallet or small skillet.
-
Cut one lemon into 4 wedges.
-
Add oil and juice from 2 wedges of lemon to the skillet. Heat to medium-high.
-
Add chicken pieces to the skillet and cook chicken 3-4 minutes per side or until chicken is cooked through.
-
Remove chicken from the skillet. Add butter and capers to the skillet, melting the butter,
-
Stir in chicken broth and juice from the other 2 lemon wedges. Bring to a light boil/simmer and cook for about 1 minute.
-
Add cooked chicken back to the pan and cover with a few slices of lemon. Let cook for about 3 minutes.
Lightly flour the thin pieces of chicken. A little bit of added baking powder helps to give the chicken a crispy crust.
What we Love about this Chicken Piccata Recipe?
We love how easy this chicken dish is to prepare and how versatile it is. Add some dry white wine or some heavy cream for delicious variations.
We love to serve our chicken over a bed of spaghetti or pasta. Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain reserving about 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Add about 2 tablespoons of butter, a few squeezes of lemon juice, and the reserved cooking water back into the pan with the drained pasta. Let cook for about 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in a few capers and 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Yum! Enjoy!
Best Chicken to Use for Picatta
Make sure you either use thin pieces of chicken or pound your chicken thin using a meat mallet or small skillet. Most grocery stores now sell chicken that is packaged with thin pieces instead of thick breasts, look for that option.
If you can’t find thinly sliced boneless chicken breast at your grocery store, simply cut the chicken breast thin using a sharp knife. Take a thick chicken breast and carefully slice through the middle of the chicken keeping your knife parallel to the cutting board.
Can You Use Chicken Thighs for This Recipe?
Yes, chicken thighs work well for this chicken recipe. Just adjust your cooking time for the thicker pieces of chicken. Chicken thighs save money and can be kept in your freezer for up to 3-4 months. Use about 6-7 chicken thighs for this recipe.
What to Serve with Lemon Chicken Picatta
We love to serve thin spaghetti and a Caesar Salad as a side dish for this chicken recipe.
You can also find more ideas for side dishes for chicken picatta
What is a Great Way to Use Leftover Chicken Piccata?
Make the most delicious lemony chicken piccata sandwiches or toss the warm chicken along with some capers in your salad. You can also cut up chicken pieces and add to some warm buttered noodles to make Chicken Picatta Spaghetti! Serve with lots of grated Parmesan cheese.
Try A Few of Our Family Friendly Recipes:
Love this recipe as much as we do? Try our super-easy baked chicken piccata for a really simple dinner with the same flavors you love.