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Garlic Chicken Piccata is a simple yet elegant twist on the classic italian favorite—perfect for busy weeknights or a cozy family dinner. This easy chicken piccata recipe features golden, pan-fried chicken breasts, lightly coated in flour and parmesan, then simmered in a bright, buttery lemon garlic sauce with capers and a splash of white wine or broth.
Each bite of this chicken piccata recipe is crisp on the outside, juicy inside, and bursting with garlicky citrus flavor. if you loved bold, comforting meals and come together in under 30 minutes, this garlic chicken piccata is sure to earn a permanent spot on your table.
What Makes This Chicken Piccata Work
What makes this Garlic Chicken Piccata truly shine is the perfect balance of bright, buttery, and savory flavors; all brought together in one skillet. The light parmesan crust on the chicken adds a crispy, golden bite, while the lemon garlic sauce delivers just the right amount of zing to cut through the richness.
Capers give this chicken piccata recipe its signature briny kick, and a splash of white wine or stock deepens the flavor without complicating the process. It’s everything you love about a traditional piccata, but with a garlicky twist that makes it even more irresistible. This easy chicken piccata is quick enough for a weeknight, yet special enough for guests.
What Goes Into This Chicken Piccata
This Garlic Chicken Piccata is made with simple ingredients you likely already have on hand. Each component plays a role in building the bold, buttery, and citrusy flavors that make this dish such a standout.
- Chicken Breasts: Halved horizontally for quicker cooking and tender results, they’re the base of this crispy, golden classic.
- Parmesan Cheese: Mixed into the flour coating for a subtle nutty flavor and perfectly browned crust.
- Garlic: Fresh cloves bring a bold, aromatic twist that sets this version apart from traditional chicken piccata.
- Capers: These briny gems cut through the richness of the sauce and give the dish its signature sharp pop.
Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
How To Make Chicken Piccata
- Prepare the Coating
In a shallow bowl, mix the flour and parmesan cheese. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then dredge each piece in the flour mixture. Shake off any excess and set aside.
- Sear the First Batch
Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear two pieces of chicken until golden and cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a warm plate.
- Cook the Second Batch
Add another tablespoon of butter and the remaining tablespoon of oil. Fry the remaining chicken until golden and fully cooked. Transfer to the plate with the first batch.
- Sauté the Garlic
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the same pan. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the wine and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits from the pan.
- Deglaze and Reduce
Let the wine simmer and reduce until almost evaporated, stirring occasionally to deepen the flavor. This step builds the base of your lemon garlic sauce.
- Add Broth and Capers
Pour in the chicken stock, lemon juice, and capers. Bring to a boil and let the mixture reduce slightly, about 6 minutes. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper if needed.
- Finish with Butter and Chicken
Stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter. Return the chicken and its resting juices to the pan. Simmer for 5 minutes to heat through and soak up the sauce.
- Garnish and Serve
Sprinkle with fresh parsley and an optional pinch of parmesan cheese. Serve immediately with your favorite sides or over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes.
Garlic Chicken Piccata pairs beautifully with a mix of comforting and refreshing sides. For something rich and creamy, try it with a side Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes, the buttery sauce soaks right into those tender layers or keep it light and fresh with Grilled Asparagus..For a cozy yet vibrant pairing, serve it alongside a bowl of Creamy Roasted Tomato Basil Soup. And if you’re going for an all-out Italian-style meal, finish with Easy Cheesy Garlic Bread to round things out.
Recipe FAQ’s
Capers give classic chicken piccata its signature flavor, but if you’re not a fan, try chopped green olives or simply leave them out.
If you prefer not to use wine, simply substitute with an equal amount of low-sodium chicken broth or stock. The flavor will still be delicious.
No, it’s not spicy—just tangy, buttery, and garlicky. If you’d like a bit of heat, you can add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
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Garlic Chicken Piccata
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts large, halved horizontally to make 4
- 2 tablespoons flour all purpose or plain
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese fresh, finely grated
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cracked pepper
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 4 cloves garlic large, minced
- 1/4 cup dry white wine can be omitted
- 3/4 cup chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1/4 cup brined capers rinsed
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1 pinch parmesan cheese to serve
Instructions
- In a shallow bowl, combine the flour and parmesan cheese. Season the chicken with salt and pepper; dredge in the flour mixture; shake off excess and set aside.
- In a large pan or skillet heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. When hot, fry 2 pieces of chicken first until golden on each side and cooked through (about 3-4 minutes each side, depending on the thickness of your chicken). Transfer to a warm plate.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and another tablespoon of olive oil. When hot, fry the remaining chicken until browned on both sides. Transfer to plate.
- In the same pan, melt one more tablespoon of butter. Fry the garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan for extra flavour. Cook until wine almost evaporates, stirring occasionally.
- Pour in the stock, lemon juice and capers and allow to boil until reduced slightly (about 6 minutes). Adjust salt and pepper if needed.
- Add remaining butter to the pan, allow to melt, then add chicken back into the pan along with all of the juices from the plate and simmer for 5 minutes to heat through.
- Garnish with parsley and serve immediately with parmesan cheese, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This particular Chicken Piccata recipe is outstanding. I have made this a ton of times this year and it is PERFECT in our book. I do double the sauce bc as a side, I make fettuccini with garlic oil, asparagus (cut into 2″ slices) and halved grape tomatoes. I just warm it all together and serve as a side to the Chicken Piccata and scoop some off the sauce on the pasta. A small side salad and we’re set! Yummy! Thanks so much for your wonderful recipe!!!
Not to brag, but my wife just said that I have a new signature dish. Man, that was good! I highly recommend this recipe!
This obviously has been around for some time but I just recently found it and made it last night. OMG what a fantastic dish.
This was soo delish. My whole family loved it. Glad I came across it. Will be making it often. 🙂
This was the best chicken I have ever cooked! My whole family gobbled it down on top of wild rice with a simple green salad with blueberry balsamic vinegar that paired so nicely!
I made baguettes first using type 65 flour and while those beauties were baking, I did the prep. I followed your instructions and voila, excellent. My only addition to this recipe was adding shallots to the garlic. Everybody enjoyed this dish. Thanks.
This was the best chicken piccata I have ever had!
Just found you on Instagram!! Yay! Can I make this piccata ahead? I read you said parts of it? I have a party of 8 coming. Do I double the recipe and how can I make ahead? Thanks
I’ve made Chicken Piccatta a few times, but I liked the addition of garlic and parmesan. I made this last night and it was delicious. It will be my go to for chicken piccata, can also use this with flattened pork medallions, or veal too. thanks
I have made this identical recipe for veal piccata and it was fabulous. One of my guests for dinner that night was a chef and he stated that it was as good as his recipe. Max Linkin
Yes, I’ve tried this recipe and it is delicious but I need to fix this recipe for a man that has pancreatitis and cannot have oil or butter. So this now becomes a challenge and I see from all other websites no one has been able to produce almost the same results without frying or using butter or oil, and believe me I have searched. If you have any ideas I would greatly appreciate them!
Wow! That must be tough. Butter definitely gives it that mouth feel. I think I would air fry the chicken (almost last so it doesn’t become tough) then I would just use the chicken broth, wine and lemon juice with the garlic and capers. Maybe a little cornstarch our flour to thicken
This is exactly the recipe I’ve been looking for – one that uses both chicken stock and wine. I’ve winged piccata many times over the years, but now I have a solid reference point. Thank you so much!