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In this Chicken Piccata and Rice recipe, everything cooks together in one pan! Juicy chicken, fluffy rice, and that bold, tangy sauce made with white wine, lemon, and briny capers all cook together to make this simple but fancy meal. Serve it for date night with a glass of wine, or keep it weeknight-friendly with steamed broccoli on the side.

5 Star Review
“Thanks! Just made it tonight!! Absolutely delicious! We all loved it! Good job.” – Canan
Easy Chicken Piccata Recipe
I’m no stranger to one-pan chicken dinners. I make some version of chicken and rice at least three times a month. This rich and tangy chicken piccata is one of my go-to favorites. It’s quick, made in one pot, and totally delicious. You’ve got tender chicken breast simmered in a lemony, white wine sauce with briny capers, and the rice soaks up all that goodness right alongside it.
Chicken Piccata is a classic for a reason. It’s simple, full of flavor, and made with ingredients you probably already have. In this version, cooking the rice with the chicken means fewer dishes and more flavor in every bite.
What Kind of Sauce is Used in Chicken Piccata?
The traditional Italian piccata sauce is made with lemon and butter, much like its French sibling Francaise sauce, but with the added tang of capers. The butter gives it a creamy richness, while the lemon and capers give it the punch of subtle yet complex flavor it’s famous for. In this recipe, we substitute oil and milk for the butter to make it lighter. These ingredients help the kick of citrus from the lemon and the slightly salty tang of the capers spread evenly over every bite.
Ingredients For This Chicken Piccata And Rice
- Olive Oil: Used to sear the chicken and sauté the aromatics. You can swap in avocado oil or butter if preferred.
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts: Chicken thighs will work too for a juicier result.
- Salt & Black Pepper: Simple seasoning that brings everything together.
- Yellow Onion: You can use white or sweet onion if needed.
- Garlic: Fresh is best, but garlic powder can work in a pinch.
- Arborio Rice: This short-grain rice gives the dish a creamy texture without needing cream. You could try another short-grain rice, but arborio works best here.
- White Wine: Adds brightness and depth. Use your favorite dry white wine, or sub with more broth if you’re avoiding alcohol.
- Chicken Broth: Keeps the rice flavorful and moist. Low-sodium is ideal so you can control the salt.
- Lemon Slices: If you want something milder, Meyer lemons are a great option.
- Capers: These little guys are key to the piccata sauce because they add a salty, briny kick that works perfectly with the lemon.
- Fresh Parsley: For garnish. You can use fresh basil or dill, too.
How to Make Chicken Piccata and Rice
This meal is so classic and elegant that its simplicity might surprise you. Follow these steps to get restaurant-quality results.
- Prep Your Ingredients: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet or wok. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper to taste.
- Brown the Chicken: Place the chicken in the skillet and cook it for 3 minutes, or until browned. Then, flip the chicken and do the same on the other side. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.
- Cook the Garlic, Onions and Rice: Return the pan to medium heat and add the leftover olive oil. Toss in the onions and garlic and cook them for 2 minutes, or until the onions are tender. Stir in the rice and cook it for 1 minute before pouring in the wine and bringing the pan to a boil.
- Add the Chicken, Lemons and Capers: Throw the chicken back into the pan, add the broth, lemon slices, and capers, and bring it all to a boil.
- Simmer: Lower the heat on the stove until the sauce comes down to a simmer. Cover the pan with a lid and let it all come together for around 20 minutes, or until the liquid has mostly absorbed. Once that happens, take the pan off the heat.
- Garnish and Serve: Plate each portion of chicken piccata, add the chopped parsley and serve.
Katerina’s Recipe Tips
This slight twist on a classic Italian meal is sophisticated enough to impress guests and simple enough for the pickiest eaters. Here are a few quick tips to make it just right for you.
- Lemon Variety Matters: Different varieties of lemon have different sugar and acid levels, so pick a lemon that suits your taste. If you don’t like the strong taste of lemon, use Meyer lemons, which tend to be sweeter and milder. If you want some extra acidity, try the Eureka or Lisbon varieties.
- Go for Arborio: Use arborio rice for a more authentic Italian vibe. This variety of rice is creamy, firm and chewy, which makes it the perfect grain to absorb the tangy flavor of the piccata sauce.
- Swap Out the Wine: The white wine adds flavor and helps bring the sauce together, but traditional piccata sauce doesn’t use it. If you only have reds on hand or would just rather go without, you can swap the wine out 1:1 with chicken broth.
Serving Suggestions
This chicken piccata and rice is the main course and a side dish all in one, but I like to serve it with a soup, like my slow cooker vegetable soup, as a starter, and make some tender grilled asparagus to serve on the side. A sip of Campari spritz beforehand should be a must.
Storage and Reheating
You can keep chicken piccata and rice in the fridge for 2-3 days in an airtight container. The leftovers are sometimes even more flavorful, since the chicken really gets time to soak in the lemon caper sauce. Reheat it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until it’s warmed through.
Does This Freeze Well?
Unfortunately, this dish isn’t really one you want to freeze. The lemon and caper sauce may curdle, and you’ll end up with a soggy and unappetizing mess. If there’s chicken left over, you can freeze that by itself and make everything fresh another time.
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 1 cup dry white wine, (use your favorite white wine)
- 1 cup chicken broth, fat free and low-sodium
- 4 lemon slices + a few more for garnish, (if you do not like the strong taste of lemon, use meyer lemons)
- 3 tablespoons capers
- chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Prep. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet.
- Brown the chicken. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and cook them on each side for 3 minutes, or until browned. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Saute the aromatics. Return the pan to medium heat and add the remaining olive oil. Add the onions and garlic; cook for 2 minutes or until the onions are tender.
- Add rice and wine. Stir in the rice and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the wine and bring to a boil.
- Combine and cook. Add the chicken breasts back to the pan, stir in the chicken broth, lemon slices, and capers; bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cover with a lid; continue to cook for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed.
- Finish and serve. Remove from heat. Garnish the chicken piccata and rice with chopped parsley, and serve.
Equipment
Nutrition
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.
Are you using a cup of uncooked rice or a cup of par-cooked rice? And, have you used long grain rice, or would you not recommend that?
Hi Crystal! It’s uncooked rice, and long grain will work just fine.
Looks great, however, do you put the chicken back in the pan before simmering the rice mixture?
Hi!! I am missing a comma in between chicken and broth up there – thank you so much for catching that!! Yes, add the chicken back to the pan. 😀
Thanks! Just made it tonight!! Absolutely delicious! We all look fed it! Good job
All loved it! Hate that auto correct!!!
This one pan meal looks incredible. I’m keeping this one hand for an easy weeknight meal!
These flavors look mouthwatering!
I adore chicken piccata! Especially the capers, they are my favorite part!
I am totally on board for these one pan dinners. Especially when they are packed full of flavor.
I love quick and easy dinners like this, and it looks amazing!
This is such a classic dish – so nice to see it cooked all in one pan!
Looks incredible! I’m a sucker for one-pan dinners!
Good for you for keeping one cup of wine for this recipe! After all of that, I might have downed the bottle. It looks amazing!!