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Classic Chicken Piccata with Lemon Butter Sauce Recipe

If lemon and butter are opposites, they’re a delicious pair—think of them as the culinary equivalent of a perfect match.

Vertical image of cooked meat pieces on a white plate with a caper and citrus sauce, with text on the top and bottom of the image.

Put simply: when lemon meets butter, something special happens.

Lemon, with its bright acidity and tart tang, benefits from a partner that softens and balances it. Butter, rich and silky, is the ideal companion, smoothing the citrus while adding indulgent flavor.

That lemon-butter combination shows up across cuisines. In French cooking it’s the backbone of sole meunière; in seafood service it’s the classic pairing for lobster tails and crab legs, where a squeeze of lemon and a bowl of melted butter are simply essential. And in Italian bistros, plates of piccata—tender meat finished in a lemon-butter caper sauce—are a constant favorite.

This is why chicken piccata is endlessly appealing. While veal or fish piccata are traditional variations, breaded, juicy chicken breasts in a tangy lemon-butter sauce dotted with briny capers are hard to resist.

My family’s roots in northern New Jersey mean we’ve eaten our fair share of Italian restaurant classics. During visits to Springfield we’d often hit Marco Polo, a long-standing local spot. My order was predictable: something cheesy and saucy, or something light and lemony—more often than not, chicken piccata.

I love sharing the dish, but I’ll admit I always sneak extra bites. The sauce is rich enough to satisfy a craving for buttery indulgence, while the capers’ vinegar bite keeps the flavor lively and bright.

Vertical image of a white plate with cooked poultry pieces covered in a citrus and caper sauce next to whole garlic and lemon wedges.

When I make piccata at home I stick close to the classic formula: lemon, butter, capers, and parsley. I sometimes add a few cloves of garlic for extra aroma. A good sear on the chicken locks in juices, and finishing the pieces in the lemony butter sauce ensures each bite stays tender and flavorful.

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Horizontal image of a white plate with cooked poultry pieces covered in a citrus and caper sauce next to whole garlic and lemon slices.

Chicken Piccata

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  • Author: Fanny Slater
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
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Description

Buttery chicken meets briny capers and tart lemon in this perfect piccata. Make this Italian delicacy for tonight’s dinner.

Ingredients


Scale
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (or 2 whole breasts, butterflied and cut in half), pounded to 1/2 inch thick
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 2 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup homemade or low-sodium chicken stock
  • Zest of 1 large lemon
  • Juice of 1 large lemon
  • 2 tablespoons capers
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley, divided

Instructions

  1. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then dredge them in flour. Shake off any excess.
  2. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high. When the butter foams, add the chicken and cook until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
  3. Reduce heat to medium-low, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the garlic and cook until lightly golden, about 30 seconds.
  4. Whisking as you pour and scraping up any browned bits, add the white wine, chicken stock, lemon zest, lemon juice, and capers. Bring to a boil.
  5. Return the chicken and any juices to the pan. Simmer uncovered, occasionally spooning sauce over the chicken, until cooked through and the sauce has reduced by about half, 3–5 minutes.
  6. Divide the chicken among 4 plates. Vigorously whisk the remaining butter into the pan sauce until melted and slightly thickened, then whisk in 1 tablespoon chopped parsley.
  7. Adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed, spoon the sauce over the chicken, garnish with the remaining parsley, and serve.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Chicken
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Italian

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Cooking By the Numbers…

Step 1 – Chop the Garlic and Parsley, and Pound and Season the Poultry

Horizontal image of chopped herbs, garlic, and wedges of citrus on a wooden board.

Mince the garlic and chop the parsley first. Use a separate cutting board for herbs and raw chicken to avoid cross-contamination, since some parsley will be used fresh as a garnish.

Loosely cover the chicken breasts with parchment and gently pound them to an even 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet, rolling pin, or similar tool. Season with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour and shake off any excess. The flour helps create a light crust and will also thicken the sauce slightly.

Step 2 – Sear the Chicken

Horizontal image of seared poultry breasts in a cast iron skillet.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. When the butter foams, add the chicken and sear until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the cooked pieces to a plate while you build the sauce.

Step 3 – Sauté the Garlic and Deglaze the Pan

Horizontal image of cooking minced garlic in a cast iron skillet while deglazing with broth.

Reduce heat to medium-low, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, and swirl to coat the pan. Add the garlic and cook until just golden, about 30 seconds. Zest and juice the lemon.

Whisking as you pour and scraping up any browned bits, add the white wine, chicken stock, lemon zest and juice, and the capers. Bring the mixture to a boil to combine flavors.

Step 4 – Finish Cooking and Reduce the Sauce

Horizontal image of a translucent sauce with capers and chopped garlic.

Return the chicken and its juices to the pan. Simmer uncovered, spooning sauce over the pieces, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has reduced by about half, 3–5 minutes.

Step 5 – Whisk the Butter and Parsley into the Sauce

Horizontal image of cooking a sauce with capers and a mound of fresh chopped herbs.

Plate the chicken, then whisk the remaining butter into the hot pan sauce until it melts and the sauce thickens. Stir in 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley for freshness.

Step 6 – Sauce and Garnish

Horizontal image of two seared poultry breasts in a sauce with capers and minced garlic in a cast iron skillet.

Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Spoon the sauce over each serving and garnish with the remaining parsley.

Light, Lemony, and Bathed in Butter

If you enjoy bright, citrus-forward sauces with a buttery finish, chicken piccata is made for you.

Horizontal image of a white plate with cooked poultry pieces covered in a citrus and caper sauce next to whole garlic and lemon slices.

To vary the flavor, try adding thinly sliced fennel for crunch or sweet shallots for an extra onion note. Piccata sauce pairs beautifully with pasta, and roasted potatoes are perfect for soaking up every last drop.

Enjoy exploring more chicken recipes for Italian-inspired meals.

When it comes to capers, a little goes a long way. How do you use leftover capers—tartar sauce, salads, or something else? Share your ideas and, if you tried this recipe and loved it, consider leaving a rating.

Photos by Fanny Slater, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Originally published on April 7, 2014. Last updated on February 9, 2021. With additional writing and editing by Allison Sidhu.

Nutritional information comes from a database of known foods and should be considered an approximation.