Slow cooker chicken piccata is a no-breading, 5-ingredient crockpot version of the classic: chicken thighs cooked with capers and their juice, a packet of Italian dressing seasoning, white wine (or chicken broth) and fresh lemon juice. It takes about 10 minutes of prep, then cooks on low for 7 hours or high for 4. Serve it whole or shredded with lemon wedges over pasta, mashed cauliflower or green beans.
This slow cooker version of chicken piccata uses chicken thighs, lemons and capers to create the juiciest, zestiest and incredibly flavorful take on one of our family’s most favorite meals. It’s super simple and only involves 5 ingredients.
Chicken Piccata is probably one of my family’s most requested meals. And not to toot my own horn here, but I definitely make a great one (toot! toot!)
The only drawback with the more traditional chicken piccata recipe is that you have to bread the chicken and when it comes to weeknight meals, who has time for all of that?
Do I have to use chicken thighs for this crockpot chicken piccata recipe?
You do not need to use chicken thighs for this hassle-free version of chicken piccata. Most versions of chicken piccata use chicken breasts, pounded flat. You’re free to go that route, but I am using chicken thighs in this recipe as they themselves offer a rich buttery taste and a creaminess that you would find in a traditional chicken piccata dish. Instead of chicken thighs, you could opt for chicken breasts (butterflied and pounded thin) or chicken tenderloins would work well.
We love skin-on chicken thighs, although you can absolutely opt for boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe.
Ingredients for crockpot chicken piccata
To make this easy and delicious crockpot chicken piccata 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:
- chicken thighs – we prefer bone-in for that extra punch of flavor, but you can also choose to debone prior to cooking.
- capers – You will want to use a 4 ounce jar of these and include the juice. The juice provides an additional briny tang to the dish.
- Italian dressing packet seasoning
- white cooking wine – you can also choose to sub the white wine for chicken broth. Either works wonderfully.
- lemons – I recommend using fresh lemons for this dish; the zest of the lemon juice combined with the briny tang of the capers is the perfect melody of flavors.
That’s it! 5 ingredients. We love the zest and freshness lemons give so we tend to add more when cooking.
how to make chicken piccata in the crockpot
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.
1. Add the chicken. Place the chicken thighs in the slow cooker in a single layer if you can. Start with thawed chicken: the USDA recommends thawing meat before it goes into a slow cooker.
2. Add the flavor. Sprinkle the Italian dressing seasoning over the chicken, then add the capers with their juice, the white wine (or chicken broth) and the fresh lemon juice. The caper juice is what gives the sauce its briny, piccata-style tang, so don’t drain it.
3. Cover and cook. Cook on low for 7 hours or on high for 4 hours, until the chicken reaches at least 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. Try not to lift the lid while it cooks.
4. Serve. Serve the thighs whole or shred them, and spoon plenty of the lemony caper sauce over the top. Add lemon wedges and serve with pappardelle, egg noodles, loaded mashed cauliflower, riced cauliflower, green beans or zoodles.
Is slow cooker chicken piccata low carb?
This slow cooker chicken piccata is a low carb dish. Because it is made in the crockpot, there are no breadcrumbs involved with this recipe. I served this dish with egg noodles to really emulsify and soak up the juice from the crockpot. For a more low carb option, I would highly recommend serving with loaded mashed cauliflower, zoodles, green beans or riced cauliflower would work well.
Can I meal prep slow cooker chicken piccata?
This version of chicken piccata makes an easy and super delicious meal prep. I would recommend serving it with a side of green beans or your favorite vegetable. This dish keeps well and makes great leftovers because it has time to soak up all the juice. This slow cooker chicken piccata meal prep gets better and better each day!
For the full recipe of this crockpot chicken piccata meal prep, check-out mealpreponfleek.com
how long does chicken piccata last in the fridge?
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking and enjoy them within 3–4 days. Store the chicken in some of the sauce so it stays juicy, and reheat until steaming hot (165°F).
prefer a classic skillet chicken piccata?
If you have 30 minutes and want the crispy, breaded version, try our lemon caper chicken with brown butter caper sauce, made on the stovetop in one skillet.
We 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 easy slow cooker chicken piccata 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!
slow cooker chicken piccata FAQs
Yes. Chicken breasts (butterflied and pounded thin) or chicken tenderloins work too. Thighs stay juicier during the long cook, so check breasts early and cook until they reach 165°F.
Yes. Use chicken broth in place of the white wine. Either works wonderfully.
The chicken itself is low carb because there’s no breading. For a low carb plate, serve it with loaded mashed cauliflower, riced cauliflower, zoodles or green beans instead of pasta.
No. The USDA recommends thawing chicken before slow cooking so it doesn’t spend too long at unsafe temperatures.
Pappardelle or egg noodles soak up the lemony sauce. For lighter options, try loaded mashed cauliflower, riced cauliflower, green beans or zoodles.
recipe video
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Slow Cooker Chicken Piccata
- GFGluten-Free
- LCLow Carb
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken thighs, 4-6 thighs
- 1 packet Italian dressing seasoning
- 1 jar Non-Pareil Capers, 4 ounces , including juice
- ½ cup white wine or chicken broth
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Add the chicken to the slow cooker.
- Sprinkle over the Italian dressing seasoning mix, capers and juice, white wine (or chicken broth), and lemon juice.
- Cover and cook on low for 7 hours or on high for 4 hours.
- Serve the chicken thighs whole or shred them all. Serve with lemon wedges, egg noodles, loaded mashed cauliflower, riced cauliflower, green beans or zoodles.
Equipment
Nutrition
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Gray Walson
I really appreciate how detailed and beginner-friendly this recipe is. Using fresh ingredients always makes recipes more enjoyable and nutritious. Readers curious about agricultural trade and food sourcing systems can explore agricultural supply resources here. Excellent work on this post!