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    Home > Recipes > Chicken

    Lemon Chicken Piccata

    Published: Feb 15, 2017 · Modified: Apr 4, 2022 · by Jess Smith · Jump to Recipe · 11 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links.

    1.6K shares
    Lemon chicken piccata
    Lemon Chicken Piccata over pasta in a white bowl
    cooking chicken piccata in a cast iron skillet
    Lemon chicken piccata

    cooking chicken picatta in a cast iron skillet

    Lemon Chicken Piccata is a one-pan dish with a fresh twist. Charred sweet and sour lemon slices give seared chicken big lemon flavor and the light, creamy pan sauce is great over pasta.

    Lemon Chicken Piccata over pasta in a white bowl

    Charred Lemons

    If you have ever had or made Chicken Piccata, you know that there is a lot to love about the bright combination of flavors in this dish. In dark, cold winter months, this is the sort of dish that brings a little sunshine to the dinner table.

    I recently stumbled across a recipe in Cooking Light that gave me the inspiration to add one quick extra step to my Chicken Piccata, making this absolutely the best version I've ever had.

    Charred Lemons in a white bowl

    The secret is this. Charred lemons.

    It takes just a couple minutes to marinate lemon slices with garlic and sugar. And then a couple more to sear them in the same pan used to cook the chicken.

    But the result is this intensely bright, slightly sweet lemon and garlic mixture that is folded back in to the finished dish. The flavor is intense and complex and has so much more going on than one-note lemon juice.

    Charred Lemons in a cast iron skillet with sugar and garlic

    If you have made Lemon Chicken Piccata before or if this is your first introduction to the dish, I can't recommend this version enough. Beautiful, fragrant and impressive without being stuffy.

    Best of all, it's fast enough to make on a weeknight. Just get a pot of water boiling for pasta before you start the chicken. It should all finish about the same time.

    This post is part of our series Dinner Tonight where we share our favorite weeknight-friendly dinners. Just doing our part to help answer the question "what's for dinner"?

     

    Lemon Chicken Piccata in a cast iron skillet

    By the way, since the weather is still cold and the New Year isn't quite a distant memory, we've been eating more whole wheat around here, including in our pasta. So I couldn't resist a shout-out for the DeLallo Whole Wheat Spaghetti shown in these photos. It's totally great - tender and light - just in case you're into that sort of thing! (P.S. I have no affiliation with DeLallo, just wanted to share the whole wheat love.)

    More One-Pan Meal Ideas

    • Foil-Roasted Salmon with Chickpeas and Greens
    • Sheet Pan Tacos
    • Chicken with Creamy Cilantro Lime Sauce
    • Sheet Pan Honey Dijon Chicken
    • Chicken Enchilada Pasta

    Favorite Tools

    • Anchor 3-Piece Glass Mixing Bowls 
    • Shallow Baking Dish
    • Lodge Cast Iron Skillet 
    • Whisk
    cooking chicken piccata in a cast iron skillet
    Print Recipe
    4.41 from 15 votes

    Lemon Chicken Piccata

    Lemon Chicken Piccata is a one-pan dish with a fresh twist. Charred sweet and sour lemon slices give seared chicken big lemon flavor and the light, creamy pan sauce is great over pasta.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time30 mins
    Total Time40 mins
    Course: Main Dish
    Keyword: Chicken Recipe, easy dinner, one pan meal
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 461kcal
    Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
    Cost: $10.00

    Equipment

    • Mixing Bowl
    • Shallow Baking Dish
    • Large Skillet

    Ingredients

    • 2 Lemons, sliced thinly
    • 4 cloves Garlic, cut into very thick slices or halved length-wise
    • 2 teaspoon Sugar
    • 1 lb Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, halved and pounded thin
    • 1 teaspoon Salt
    • ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
    • ½ cup+ 1 Tbsp Flour, divided
    • 2 tablespoon Olive Oil, divided
    • 2 Shallots, Diced
    • ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
    • ½ cup Dry White Wine (sub chicken stock)
    • 1 cup Low-Sodium Chicken Stock
    • 3 tablespoon Butter
    • 2 tablespoon Capers, drained and rinsed
    • 2 tablespoon Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped

    Instructions

    • Toss lemon slices and garlic in sugar. Set aside.
    • Slice chicken breasts in half, place between two pieces of plastic, and pound to about ¾ inches thick (no need to be precise, just make sure all of the chicken pieces are about even thickness). Season chicken pieces on both sides with salt and black pepper.
    • Place ½ cup flour in a shallow baking dish.
    • Heat the largest skillet you have over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Working quickly, dredge each piece of chicken in flour, shake off the excess, and place the chicken in the hot pan (if it won't all fit in a single layer, cook the chicken in batches). Cook on both sides until deep golden brown and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes total. Set chicken aside and return pan to heat.
    • Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to heated pan and then lemon slices and garlic. Saute until garlic is fragrant and lemons are starting to turn golden in spots, 1 to 2 minutes (watch it closely and remove it from heat if the garlic starts to turn brown). Pour charred lemons and garlic back into the bowl they were marinating in and return pan to heat.
    • Add shallots and oregano to heated pan. Cook until shallots are tender, ~1 minute. Add 1 tablespoon flour and stir until no dry spots of flour remain. Add white wine and stock to pan, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Increase heat to bring sauce to a simmer. Simmer until sauce reduce by half, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and whisk in butter and capers until butter melts.
    • Return chicken pieces to pan and spoon sauce over top. Pour lemons and garlic over top and sprinkle with parsley.
    • Serve over spaghetti or rice.

    Notes

    Inspiration for the Charred Lemons came from Cooking Light.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 461kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 923mg | Potassium: 667mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 465IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 3mg

    How was your Valentine's Day? Hopefully as full of sugar and glee as Molly and Clara's. These two came home from school and poured out all the cards they received from their classmates on the kitchen floor. #valentinesdaysuccess

    Molly and Clara_Valentines Day

    *This post contains affiliate links*

    Lemon Chicken Piccata - A classic one-pan lemon chicken dish topped with capers and sweet and savory charred lemons. Great on its own or served over rice or spaghetti.

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    1.6K shares

    About Jess

    Hi! I'm Jess. I am the recipe creator and photographer behind the 900+ recipes you’ll find on Inquiring Chef. As a mom to three young kids and professional cook, my mission is to make every moment in the kitchen and around the table count. If you’re looking for easy, flavorful, family-approved recipes, you’ve come to the right place! Learn more about me here.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Debra Eliotseats

      February 19, 2017 at 11:48 am

      5 stars
      This is my go-to order to gauge any new Italian restaurant. Every time I order, I vow to make it at home. Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
    2. Cara Efektif Menghilangkan Pterygium Pada Mata Secara Alami

      October 12, 2017 at 2:38 am

      Yummy n healthy

      Reply
    3. Doug Gregg

      February 20, 2018 at 2:14 pm

      5 stars
      I made this for company last evening and it was spectacular! Both guests were unsure about eating the charred lemons but they won a resounding loud approval! It wasn't difficult, but I took my time knowing full well I'm known for being too hasty the first time around and missing an entire step. Served over what rice cooked in chicken stock and broccoli with a simple white bread!

      It came out so good, I took a picture ... I've never done that before!

      Again, outstanding! Keep them coming!

      Reply
      • Jess

        February 22, 2018 at 12:01 pm

        I'm SO glad it was a hit! The charred lemons are surprising, but I think they really make the dish - sweet and tart is a good combination in my book.

        Reply
        • Lari

          April 03, 2018 at 8:40 am

          5 stars
          Question: Is it okay to EAT the charred lemons? Or just for flavoring?

          Reply
          • Jess

            May 31, 2018 at 9:47 am

            Oh yes, Lari! Definitely eat them! They taste great and are perfectly fine to eat. (Even with salt + sugar, they might still be too lemon-y for some people, but we love them.)

            Reply
    4. Lari

      April 03, 2018 at 8:41 am

      5 stars
      I LOVED THIS RECIPE!!

      Made it last nite. I have made other chicken piccata recipes but this one had many levels of flavor, and the adding of the pasta suggestion - loved this!

      Reply
      • Frank

        April 16, 2018 at 10:54 pm

        Awesome, Lari! Thanks for your comment. This is a go to for us.

        Reply
    5. Kirsten

      August 23, 2020 at 5:27 pm

      5 stars
      LOVED this dish! Any special considerations if I freeze some of the leftovers? Or does this keep relatively well as is?

      I’m inspired by all of your recipes...I think I’ll try your pad see ew next. Sure will help me save money on take out!

      Reply
      • Jess Smith

        August 25, 2020 at 9:49 am

        Hi Kirsten - we usually don't bother to freeze this one because we end up using the leftovers within a couple of days and it does hold up really well. If I have some leftovers, I sometimes chop the leftover chicken up into small pieces and reserve the sauce and then mix it into cooked orzo or pasta just for a slightly different take.

        Hope you love the pad see ew as much as we do!!

        Reply
        • Jess Smith

          August 25, 2020 at 9:49 am

          However, I do think it would freeze great if you wanted to save individual portions!

          Reply

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