Chicken Piccata
Updated Nov 02, 2026
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This easy Chicken Piccata recipe brings an Italian-American restaurant favorite right to your kitchen! Juicy, pan-seared chicken breasts are coated in a buttery lemon caper sauce with green beans cooked in the same skillet. The whole dish is ready in about 30 minutes.
Homemade Lemon Chicken Piccata
Chicken piccata is one of those Italian-American restaurant dishes I love making at home because it’s surprisingly simple. The chicken cooks quickly in a skillet, and the lemon piccata sauce comes together with white wine, capers, garlic, and onion. I especially love how the tangy lemon and salty capers cut through all that butter!
It’s right up there with my slow cooker chicken Marsala as one of my favorite restaurant dishes to recreate at home. And if you’re a fan of that buttery lemon sauce, my salmon piccata is another delicious way to enjoy it.
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Piccata Recipe
- No breading needed. The chicken gets a beautiful golden sear without being coated in flour or breadcrumbs.
- Big flavor, simple ingredients. Buttery, tangy, and just a little salty from the capers, the lemon sauce is the best part!
- One skillet. The chicken and green beans cook in the same skillet, so you’ve got your main dish and a veggie side without extra pans.
- Ready in 30 minutes. This easy chicken piccata recipe makes a quick dinner that works as well on busy weeknights as it does on date night!
What Is Chicken Piccata?
Chicken piccata is a traditional Italian-American dish with thin slices of chicken breast cooked in a savory pan sauce. The sauce has a tangy, bright flavor from lemon and capers, while garlic, chicken broth, and butter help balance it out.
Traditional chicken piccata is often made with chicken that’s lightly dredged in flour before pan-frying. My version skips the flour and uses a little cornstarch mixed with white wine to coat the chicken before cooking.
Ingredients for Chicken Piccata
- Chicken Breasts – You’ll need 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to about ¼-inch thickness. You can also slice two large breasts in half lengthwise to make four thinner cutlets.
- Green Beans – I use about 2 cups of fresh green beans, washed and trimmed. You can leave them whole or cut them into 1-inch pieces.
- White Wine – Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc is what I like to use because that is what I like to drink! You’ll need ⅓ cup, divided between the chicken and the sauce.
- Cornstarch – Helps thicken the lemon sauce, and you’ll use some to coat the chicken before cooking.
- Chicken Broth – You can use low-sodium chicken stock, but vegetable broth will also work.
- Lemon Juice – Freshly squeezed is best for that tangy lemon flavor.
- Butter and oil – Used to pan-fry the chicken and make the sauce. I like avocado oil, but vegetable oil and olive oil are okay to use.
- Onion and garlic – I use yellow onion and fresh garlic, but a white onion and garlic powder are good substitutions.
- Capers – These little briny bites are what give piccata sauce its distinctive flavor. Drain and rinse them before adding.
- Lemon wedges and fresh parsley – Used for garnish.
How to Make Chicken Piccata
- Prep: Pound the chicken breasts to an even ¼-inch thickness. You can use thicker chicken breasts, but keep in mind that those will need longer to cook through.
- Marinate: In a mixing bowl, combine half of the wine with a teaspoon of cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken to the sauce and toss to evenly coat. Set aside.
- Prep the sauce: In a separate bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, lemon juice, remaining wine, and 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. Set aside for later.
- Cook the chicken: Heat 1 ½ tablespoons of oil in a large, 12-inch skillet set over medium-high heat. Arrange the chicken breasts in the skillet and cook for 5 minutes; flip, add 1 tablespoon of butter, and cook for 4 more minutes, or until just cooked through.
- Cook the veggies: Remove the chicken breasts from the skillet. Add half a tablespoon of oil to the skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions to the heated oil and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic, then add the green beans and capers; season with ¼ teaspoon salt and cook for 5 minutes, or until the green beans are crisp-tender.
- Finish: Stir in the previously prepared sauce, then return the chicken to the skillet, turning it to coat. Cook for 2 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened. Remove from the heat and garnish with parsley.
- Enjoy! Serve the chicken piccata with lemon wedges.
Recipe Tips
- Make thin chicken cutlets. Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally, starting at the thickest side, then pound them to an even ¼-inch thickness. This helps them cook quickly and evenly.
- Don’t crowd the skillet. Cook the chicken in batches if necessary so it browns nicely instead of steaming.
- Don’t overcook the chicken. Since the cutlets are thin, they cook quickly. Use an instant-read meat thermometer to check for doneness. Chicken is cooked through when its internal temperature registers at 165˚F.
- Try asparagus. Swap the green beans for trimmed fresh asparagus when it’s in season. It’s delicious with the buttery lemon sauce and pan-fried chicken.
What to Serve with Chicken Piccata
- Potatoes and pasta. Serve chicken piccata over buttermilk mashed potatoes or your favorite pasta to soak up that buttery lemon sauce.
- Vegetables. Try creamy Parmesan baked zucchini or crispy air fryer Brussels sprouts.
- Bread. A slice of slow cooker basil pesto bread or some homemade biscuits is perfect for mopping up the extra sauce.
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Easy Chicken Piccata Recipe
Wine, capers, and garlic give this savory chicken dish a fresh and unforgettable flavor! You’ll love the zingy, springy taste of this easy Chicken Piccata recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to ¼-inch thickness
- ⅓ cup white wine, divided (you can also use chicken broth instead of wine)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
- ¾ teaspoon salt, divided
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- ½ cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or vegetable oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups trimmed fresh green beans
- ¼ cup capers, rinsed
- chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
- lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Prep the chicken. Using a meat mallet, pound the chicken breasts to an even ¼-inch thickness.
- Make the wine marinade. In a large mixing bowl, combine half of the wine with 1 teaspoon cornstarch, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; whisk to combine.
- Marinate. Add the chicken breasts to the wine marinade and toss to evenly coat. Set aside for 20 minutes.
- Make the lemon and wine sauce. In a separate, smaller mixing bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, lemon juice, remaining wine, and 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. Set aside for later.
- Cook the chicken. Heat 1-½ tablespoons of cooking oil in a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Transfer the chicken breasts to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes; flip, add 1 tablespoon of butter, and cook for 4 more minutes or until just cooked through. Remove the chicken breasts from the skillet and set aside on a plate.Note: The thicker the chicken breasts, the longer they'll have to cook. Use an instant read food thermometer to check for doneness. Chicken breasts are cooked through when the internal temperature registers at 165˚F.
- Sauté the aromatics. Add ½ tablespoon of cooking oil to the skillet if needed, and heat over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions to the heated oil and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or just until they start to soften. Stir in the garlic and cook for 10 seconds.
- Add the green beans and capers. Stir in the green beans and capers, season with ¼ teaspoon salt, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the green beans are crisp-tender. Stir occasionally.
- Combine. Give the previously prepared lemon and wine sauce a good stir, then add it to the skillet and cook for 10 seconds. Return the chicken and its juices to the skillet; turn the chicken to coat it with the sauce. Cook for a minute or two, or until the sauce is a little thickened.
- Serve. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the chicken rest for a couple of minutes. Garnish the chicken piccata and green beans with parsley and serve.
Notes
- Chicken cutlets: To cut chicken breasts into cutlets, start at the thicker edge and slice each chicken breast in half. Then, give them a good pound until they’re thin and even. You can also save time and grab chicken cutlets instead of chicken breasts.
- Cooking in batches: Depending on your pan size, you might need to cook the chicken in batches. It helps everything cook evenly and keeps the pan from getting too crowded.
- Cooking chicken on the stovetop: To get that perfect golden-brown crust on your chicken without overcooking it, keep an eye on your heat. Start on medium-high heat for browning, then lower the heat as needed so your chicken doesn’t dry out. This also ensures your lovely buttery lemon sauce doesn’t burn.
- Flavor boost: For an extra flavor boost, add a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top of the chicken piccata right before serving. The cheese melts into the sauce, adding a layer of richness to the dish.
- Try asparagus: Got some fresh asparagus around? Feel free to sub it in for the green beans. The combo of asparagus with that rich, citrusy butter sauce and crispy chicken is just dynamite.
Nutrition
Calories: 296kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 914mg | Potassium: 769mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 954IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
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How To Store And Reheat
- Store in the fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 4 days.
- To reheat: When you are ready to reheat the extras, place leftovers on a microwave-safe plate, cover loosely, and microwave until heated through.
Medium high heat burns the sauce and the chicken breasts and their marinade… and the capers will be destroyed if you put them in at the same time as the green beans … the green beans will burn too if all they are cooked in is oil. Did they actually try this recipe?
The better question is, did you even make the recipe? You are rating something without even giving it a try. There are comments before yours that did make it and gave it 5 stars.
I, of course, did make it; otherwise, it wouldn’t be on my website. It’s made by me, photographed by me, written by me.
I’ve made this recipe twice now – a hit in my family! I had never used capers in cooking before, but was willing to try something new. Sauce was yummy!
I made this using broccoli because I needed to use it up. My husband has already requested it again, this time with asparagus. It was especially good as leftovers. We had buttered lemon noodles the first night and mashed potatoes the second and both go well with it. I see you have other chicken piccata recipes, but this one will be hard to beat. Thanks!
I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂