Creamy Chicken Piccata (Printable Version)

Pan-fried chicken breasts in a luscious lemon and caper sauce with a creamy texture.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.3 lbs)
02 - ½ tsp salt
03 - ¼ tsp black pepper
04 - ½ cup all-purpose flour (60 g) for dredging
05 - 2 tbsp olive oil
06 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter

→ Sauce

07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - ½ cup dry white wine (120 ml) or chicken broth
09 - ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth (120 ml)
10 - ½ cup heavy cream (120 ml)
11 - ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (60 ml, about 2 lemons)
12 - 2 tbsp capers, rinsed and drained
13 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
14 - Salt and black pepper to taste

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Place chicken breasts between two sheets of parchment paper and pound to a uniform thickness of ½ inch. Season both sides evenly with salt and black pepper.
02 - Coat chicken breasts in all-purpose flour, shaking off any excess before cooking.
03 - Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and loosely cover with foil to keep warm.
04 - Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet. Sauté minced garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
05 - Pour in dry white wine or chicken broth and simmer over medium heat, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Reduce liquid by half, approximately 2 minutes.
06 - Add low-sodium chicken broth, heavy cream, and freshly squeezed lemon juice to the skillet. Stir and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens.
07 - Incorporate rinsed capers into the sauce, return chicken breasts to the skillet, spoon sauce over them, and simmer for an additional 2 to 3 minutes to heat through.
08 - Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the dish. Serve immediately alongside pasta, rice, or crusty bread.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The whole thing comes together in 35 minutes, yet tastes like you've been simmering it all afternoon.
  • That lemon-caper-cream balance hits every flavor note at once—bright, rich, tangy, and utterly craveable.
  • Pounding the chicken yourself means you control the thickness, which is the real secret to it cooking evenly and staying tender.
02 -
  • Never skip the step of scraping the browned bits off the pan bottom—those bits dissolve into the sauce and create the depth that makes people ask for the recipe.
  • If your cream looks like it's separating or getting grainy, lower the heat immediately and whisk constantly; the acid in the lemon juice can sometimes cause trouble if the pan is too hot.
  • Pound your chicken as thin as possible without tearing it—thinner chicken means faster, more even cooking and meat so tender it practically melts.
03 -
  • Buy the freshest chicken you can find and pound it yourself right before cooking—supermarket chicken that's been sitting around tastes flat compared to something with real quality.
  • Keep your lemon juice separate and add it at the very end so the acid doesn't break down the sauce or strip away the flavor of the cream and butter.
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