Published on January 5, 2024 · Updated on October 24, 2026 by Sarah Troester
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Lemon caper chicken (chicken piccata) is thin chicken breasts dredged in a parmesan, lemon zest and herb flour, pan-fried until golden, then finished in a brown butter sauce with garlic, capers, white wine (or chicken broth), lemon juice and parmesan. It’s made in one skillet in about 30 minutes and serves 4.

This easy recipe for lemon caper chicken with a brown butter garlic sauce (“chicken piccata”) is my family’s favorite recipe. The lemon and capers bring a bright and briny flavor to the dish, which is rounded out with a deep nutty and savory brown butter garlic sauce. Whenever we get together for gatherings with friends and family they always request this dish. It’s perfect for a quick weeknight Italian-style dinner or crowd-pleasing meal to serve on the weekends!

Lemon caper chicken (chicken piccata): golden herb-breaded chicken breasts with capers and lemon slices in a black skillet

This lemon caper chicken with a brown butter caper sauce (also known as “chicken piccata”) is a dish that my entire extended family constantly requests. I’m happy to make it for them because it’s so simple and irresistibly delicious. Trust me, once you try it, you’ll understand why it’s a true dinner winner every time.

This dish combines the tanginess of lemon, the richness of brown butter, and the brininess of capers into one delicious and flavorful harmony. This chicken piccata recipe is a crowd-pleaser and is sure to become a family favorite.

why your family will love Chicken Piccata

  • Delicious Flavor
  • Nutritious and Balanced
  • Quick and Easy
  • Versatile and Customizable
  • Crowd-pleaser
  • Kid-friendly
Close-up of lemon caper chicken in brown butter sauce with capers, parsley and lemon slices

ingredients

To make this easy, delicious, and wholesome one-pan recipe you’ll need a few ingredients that you can get at almost any grocery store or even online!

Here’s what we are working with:

for the chicken
  • chicken breasts – thin, boneless and skinless
  • all purpose flour
  • grated parmesan cheese
  • fresh parsley
  • lemon zest
  • salt and pepper
  • garlic powder
  • egg
  • olive oil
Ingredients for lemon caper chicken: chicken breasts, flour, parmesan, eggs, butter, capers, lemons, parsley, olive oil and white wine
for the brown butter Lemon caper sauce
  • butter
  • garlic cloves
  • white cooking wine or chicken broth
  • lemon juice
  • capers
  • parmesan cheese
  • fresh parsley and lemon wedges, for serving
Brown butter lemon caper sauce with lemon wedges and fresh parsley in a skillet

how to make Chicken Piccata

You’ll find the exact amounts and printable steps in the recipe card below. Here’s what each step looks like, plus the little things that make it work.

prep and coat the chicken

1. Dry the chicken. Pat the thin chicken breasts dry with paper towels. If you bought thick breasts, butterfly and pound them thin first so they cook quickly and evenly.

2. Mix the coating. In a shallow dish, combine the flour, grated parmesan, finely chopped parsley, lemon zest, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and mix well.

3. Whisk the egg wash. In a second shallow dish, whisk the eggs with 1 tablespoon water.

4. Double-dredge the chicken. Dip each piece of chicken in the flour mixture, then the egg, then back into the flour, coating both sides evenly. Shake off the excess and set the chicken on a plate. The double coat is what gives you that golden, crisp crust.

Thin chicken breasts coated in a parmesan and herb flour mixture on a plate
brown the chicken

5. Brown the chicken. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is very hot, add the chicken and cook until golden on both sides, about 4–5 minutes per side, or until it reaches 165°F inside. Set the chicken aside. Don’t crowd the pan; cook in batches if needed so the coating browns instead of steaming.

Flour-dredged chicken breasts browning in olive oil in a skillet
prepare the sauce

6. Brown the butter. In the same skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and let it cook until it turns golden brown and smells nutty. Keep an eye on it: brown butter can go from golden to burnt quickly.

7. Add garlic, capers and wine. Add the minced garlic and capers and sauté for 1–2 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant and the capers are slightly crispy. Stir in the white wine (or chicken broth).

8. Finish the sauce. Take the skillet off the heat, squeeze in the juice of one lemon and stir in the parmesan.

Brown butter caper sauce with garlic and lemon wedges simmering in the skillet

9. Serve. Nestle the chicken back into the skillet and spoon the sauce over the top. Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon wedges, if you like.

Golden chicken breasts nestled back into the brown butter caper sauce with lemon wedges

what to serve with it

This lemon caper chicken piccata recipe is a very versatile dish that can be paired with a variety of sides depending on your preferences. Here is what we love to serve with this dish:

  • Pasta– You can never go wrong with a side of pasta. Classic Italian pasta noodles like fettuccine, linguine or spaghetti are all great choices. Simply toss them with some olive oil and herbs for an extra flavor boost.
  • Vegetables– Lemon garlic chicken pairs really well with grilled, roasted or sautéed vegetables. Some of our favorites are zucchini, bell peppers, asparagus, and broccoli.
  • Bread– A side of crusty bread is the perfect complement. Garlic bread is an excellent choice to soak up and add in an extra level of deliciousness.
  • Salad– A fresh salad with mixed greens, cucumber and tomato would be a refreshing option to serve with this hearty dish.
  • Potatoes– Roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes or even sweet potatoes would complement the flavors of lemon garlic chicken.
Finished lemon caper chicken in a skillet garnished with parsley and lemon wedges

what’s the difference between lemon caper chicken and chicken piccata?

They’re essentially the same dish: chicken piccata is thin, flour-coated chicken in a lemon and caper pan sauce. This version adds a few twists, with parmesan, lemon zest and herbs in the coating and a nutty brown butter garlic sauce. Short on time? Our slow cooker chicken piccata skips the breading entirely.

how to store leftover lemon caper chicken

Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking and enjoy them within 3–4 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat until steaming hot (165°F); the coating will soften a bit in the sauce.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. It’s definitely one of those recipes worth saving. There’s nothing better than having what looks and tastes like a gourmet meal on the table, but one that saves you time behind the scenes. 

Please leave us a star review and comment if you make this family loved recipe. 

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below. I answer every single question as quickly as I can.

Happy cooking! And thanks for being part of our tribe, The Tasteful Tribe!

ENJOY!

lemon caper chicken FAQs

Can I make lemon caper chicken without wine?

Yes. Use the same amount of chicken broth in place of the white cooking wine.

Do I need to pound the chicken thin?

Yes, if your chicken breasts are thick. Butterfly and pound them thin so they cook in about 4–5 minutes per side and stay juicy.

How do I know when the butter is browned?

The butter will foam, then turn golden brown with a nutty aroma. Add the garlic and capers right away so it doesn’t burn.

Should I drain the capers?

Yes. This recipe uses 2 tablespoons of drained capers, which get slightly crispy in the brown butter.

What goes well with lemon caper chicken?

Pasta like fettuccine, linguine or spaghetti, roasted or sautéed vegetables, crusty garlic bread, a fresh salad or roasted or mashed potatoes all pair well.

If you love this recipe, check out…

recipe video

herb breaded chicken breasts with capers and lemon sauce in a black skillet

Easy Lemon Caper Chicken (Chicken Piccata)

  • SFSugar Free
5 from 4 votes
This easy recipe for lemon chicken with capers and a brown butter garlic sauce ("chicken piccata") is my family's favorite recipe. The lemon and capers bring a bright and briny flavor to the dish, which is rounded out with a deep nutty and savory brown butter garlic sauce. Whenever we get together for gatherings with friends and family they always request this dish. It's perfect for a quick weeknight Italian-style dinner or crowd-pleasing meal to serve on the weekends!
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients 

for the chicken

  • 4 chicken breasts , thin, boneless and skinless
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely diced
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tbsp water, for the egg wash
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

for the brown butter caper sauce

  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp capers, drained
  • ¼ cup white cooking wine or chicken broth
  • 1 lemon , juiced + extra wedges for serving
  • 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

Instructions 

prep and coat the chicken

  • Paper towel dry the thin chicken breasts (be sure to butterfly and pound thin if you bought thick ones).
  • In a shallow dish combine the flour, grated parmesan cheese, finely chopped parsley leaves, lemon zest, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste; mix well to combine.
  • Place the eggs and 1 tablespoon water in another shallow dish and whisk well to combine.
  • Dip each piece of chicken in the flour mixture, then the egg mixture, and finally back into the flour mixture, making sure to coat both sides evenly. Shake off any excess flour and set chicken aside on a plate.

brown the chicken

  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once skillet is very hot, add the chicken to the skillet and cook until golden on both sides, about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.

prepare the sauce

  • In the same skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Allow the butter to cook until it turns a golden brown color and develops a nutty aroma. Be careful not to burn it! 
  • Once the butter has browned, add the minced garlic, and capers to the skillet. Saute for 1-2 minutes, until garlic becomes fragrant and the capers are slightly crispy. Stir in the white wine (or chicken broth).
  • Remove the skillet from the heat and squeeze the juice of one lemon into the skillet; add in the parmesan cheese and give a good stir.
  • Nestle the chicken breasts back into the skillet and garnish with fresh parsley leaves and/or lemon wedges, if desired.

Equipment

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