Classic Italian Chicken Piccata Recipe
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This classic Italian Chicken Piccata recipe is pan-roasted and finished with a delicious white wine and caper butter sauce. You will love how easy this recipe comes together in about 30 minutes and how elegant it is to serve to family or friends.
In my house, we love all kinds of chicken recipes. It is such a versatile protein that is budget friendly and still makes the most amazing dishes. Win win! I have to recommend trying my chicken Cacciatore recipe or perfectly cooked chicken boneless breasts, both super easy and incredibly delicious.
Chicken Piccata
Chicken piccata is made with lightly floured, pan-seared chicken breasts and a simple pan sauce with capers and lemon juice. The classic Italian version is traditionally prepared with thinly sliced, pounded veal scallopini, but chicken has become the more common choice today.
Piccata is really just a technique where you pan-fry thin slices of meat and finish them off with a buttery sauce. The sauce is the star of the dish, and the best part is that it works just as well with pork or fish if you want to change things up.
When I make chicken piccata, I keep it classic with boneless skinless chicken breasts, capers, lemon, herbs, and butter. The whole thing comes together in about 30 minutes, which is perfect for busy days, and my family always clears their plates when I serve it.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken – Boneless skinless chicken breasts are most common, but boneless skinless chicken thighs may also be used.
- Flour – All-purpose or bread flour may be used to light coat the chicken.
- Onion – Both shallots and garlic cloves are used. Substitute the shallot for a red, white, yellow, or sweet onion.
- Wine – Any dry white wine like chardonnay, Pinto Grigio, or Sauvignon Blanc works well.
- Capers – Any size capers will work for this dish. A possible substitute could be pitless, small-diced green olives.
- Lemon – Freshly squeezed lemon juice is the hero of the sauce.
- Butter – I always use unsalted butter when I cook or bake to control the sodium content.
- Herbs – The chicken piccata is finished with a classic garnish of minced fresh parsley. To elevate the dish, you could also add a teaspoon or two of minced fresh thyme.
- Seasonings – Only coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper were used.
How to Make Chicken Piccata
Prep the chicken: First thing I do is slice the chicken breasts in half width-wise and gently pound them between two pieces of plastic wrap until they are about ½ inch thick.
Coat: I dredge the chicken breasts in flour seasoned with salt and pepper, making sure they are well coated, then gently pat off any excess flour.
Sear: I pan-sear the chicken breasts in olive oil for 4 to 5 minutes on each side until golden brown, then set them aside.
Sauté the aromatics: I add the shallots and garlic to the pan and sauté them quickly for 1 to 2 minutes.
Deglaze the pan: I pour in the white wine to deglaze, then add the capers.
Add the lemon: I squeeze in the lemon juice and cook until the liquid is nearly gone, or “au sec.”
Finish the sauce: I take the pan off the heat and stir in the butter, moving the pan in a circular motion to create a smooth beurre blanc sauce.
Serve: I stir parsley, lemon juice, salt, and pepper into the sauce, then pour it over the chicken breasts and serve right away.
chef tip + notes
I highly recommend for making my Chicken Piccata to coat the chicken in seasoned flour before it goes into the pan. I have been doing it this way for years, and it always makes a difference. The flour helps the chicken brown up beautifully and gives it a light crust that soaks in just enough of the sauce. Without it, the chicken tastes flat and the sauce slips right off, but with it, every forkful is tender, golden, and full of flavor.
- Fixing the sauce: If my sauce breaks, I add a little cold heavy cream to bring it back together.
- Gluten-free option: I skip the flour on the chicken when I want to keep the recipe gluten-free for guests.
- Mixing the butter: I use either a spoon or a whisk to stir the butter into the sauce at the end.
- Pounding chicken: I pound out the chicken in a plastic zip bag, two at a time, when I want to make it easier.
Serving Suggestions
I like serving chicken piccata with a bowl of creamy risotto or tossing it with some homemade pasta so the sauce clings to every strand. When I want something a little more comforting, I go for garlic mashed potatoes and add some roasted root vegetables on the side.
Another favorite is spooning it over creamy polenta with a fresh Italian tomato salad to balance it out. And if my family is around the table, I always bring out some focaccia bread so no one misses a drop of that sauce.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can precook the chicken, but you will not be able to make the sauce ahead of time as it will break.
How to Store: Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Cover and keep frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw for 1 day in the refrigerator before reheating.
How To Reheat: You can place the chicken in the sauce back into a pan and heat over low heat until hot.
More Chicken Recipes
- Chicken Saltimbocca
- Nashville Hot Chicken Recipe
- Chicken Parmigiana
- Chicken Curry
- The Best Fried Chicken
Video
Classic Italian Chicken Piccata Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 peeled small diced shallot
- 2 finely minced cloves of garlic
- ¼ cup white wine
- ¼ cup capers
- juice of 1 lemon, about 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons
- 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pads
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- coarse salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Slice the chicken breasts in half widthwise.
- Place them in between 2 large pieces of plastic wrap or in a large plastic zip bag and gently pound them with a mallet until they are about a ½” thick. Set aside.
- Add the flour to a bowl, season very well with salt and pepper, and mix.
- Coat the chicken breasts on both sides in the flour and pat off any excess flour. Set on a plate.
- Add the olive oil to a large frying pan over high heat. Once the oil begins to smoke very lightly, add in the chicken breasts and immediately turn the heat down to medium.
- Cook for 4-5 minutes or until browned and halfway cooked through and flip over.
- Turn the heat down to low and cook for a further 4-5 minutes or until cooked throughout.
- Remove the chicken breasts and set them aside.
- Add the shallots and garlic to the pan where the chicken was cooked and saute for 1 to 2 minutes or until very lightly browned over low to medium heat.
- Add in the wine, capers, and juice of ½ lemon and cook until the liquid is almost gone or about 1-2 tablespoons are left.
- Remove from the heat and add in the butter and swirl the pan in a circular motion until completely melted.
- Finish with parsley, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, salt, and pepper and pour over the cooked chicken breasts and serve.
Made this tonight and it was incredible! Thanks Billy!
My pleasure!
I love this recipe but my only wish was that I could make a little more sauce. Can you provide instructions for extra sauce without just adding more butter? Should I just double the wine and butter amounts? I don’t want to lose the delicious flavor.
it unfortunately would be more butter. You could a few tbsp of water. But without testing it, I’m not 100% positive.
My results using this recipe were absolutely delicous – better than anything I’ve had in restaurants. I can’t wait to make it for guests. Despite being my first attempt at a butter sauce, it didn’t break thanks to your clear instructions. A new tool in my cooking toolbox! Thanks Billy!
– Ted
Fantastic! Thank you!
Billy,
This recipe is wonderful. I want to make it for a buffet for 12-14 people, but I need to transport it to the destination, which would be about an hour away. Your make-ahead notes say the chicken can be cooked ahead, but the sauce can’t, because it will break. Yet, left overs can be reheated….
What is your advice for making this transportable and make-ahead? Would I need to make the sauce at the destination?
Thanks much!
-Mike
Yes I would make it at the destination. Reheat instructions can provide some guidance but it’s almost always impossible to ever get things back to their fresh state. You could try to whisk in a little slurry to thicken the sauce back up if it breaks.
Love this recipe! It’s my go to for chicken picata. So easy, so flavorful… I live it with “shook’em up potatoes” and seasonal veggies. Ready in no time. A sure crowd pleaser! I highly recommend! Give it a go! Thank you Billy!
my pleasure!