Description
This Creamy Chicken Piccata recipe features tender, pan-seared chicken breasts in a luscious lemon-caper cream sauce, enhanced with garlic and fresh parsley. It’s a quick and elegant stovetop dish perfect for weeknight dinners or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 2 (10 – 11 oz each) chicken breasts, butterflied and halved
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Sauce
- 2 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus 1 Tbsp extra
- 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 2 Tbsp capers, rinsed
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Butterfly and halve the chicken breasts, then let them rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. In a shallow dish, whisk together the flour, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper to create the dredging mixture.
- Heat Oil and Dredge Chicken: Warm the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Coat both sides of the chicken cutlets thoroughly in the flour mixture before placing them carefully into the hot skillet.
- Sear Chicken: Sear the chicken without moving it until the bottom is browned, about 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook the opposite side until golden brown and cooked through, about another 4 to 5 minutes, adjusting the heat and tilting the pan to redistribute oil as needed. Confirm chicken reaches 165°F internally. Transfer the cooked chicken to a warm plate.
- Sauté Garlic: Add the minced garlic to the remaining oil in the pan (add an extra teaspoon of oil if needed) and sauté just until slightly golden to release its aroma.
- Deglaze and Reduce: Pour in 1 1/4 cups chicken broth, bring it to a boil while scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the broth simmer and reduce by half, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
- Thicken Sauce: Whisk the remaining 1 tablespoon chicken broth with cornstarch until smooth. Stir this into the simmering broth in the skillet along with the fresh lemon juice. Continue simmering until the sauce thickens slightly, then remove from heat.
- Finish Sauce: Stir in the butter and heavy cream until fully incorporated. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Serve: Return the chicken to the skillet, spoon the sauce generously over the cutlets, and sprinkle with rinsed capers and chopped fresh parsley. Serve warm for a delicious, creamy entrée.
Notes
- Butterflying the chicken breasts helps them cook evenly and quickly.
- Rinsing the capers removes excess saltiness, balancing the flavor.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth to control the dish’s overall salt content.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken is safely cooked to 165°F.
- For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or a plant-based cream alternative.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 120mg
