This chicken piccata with white wine has golden pan-seared chicken cutlets finished in a buttery lemon-caper sauce with garlic, Parmesan, and dry white wine. The chicken gets a light flour-and-Parmesan coating that browns beautifully in the skillet while staying tender inside.
If you want another easy chicken dinner, try my Chicken Pesto Sandwich. I like serving this with Garlic Butter Rice or a fresh Creamy Cucumber Salad with Greek Yogurt. A cold glass of Homemade Lemonade is a simple drink to serve alongside the lemony sauce.
The capers give the sauce its briny bite, while the wine, chicken broth, lemon juice, and cold butter create a glossy pan sauce that coats the chicken without becoming heavy.
What Is Chicken Piccata?
Chicken piccata is made with thin chicken cutlets that are lightly dredged in flour, pan-seared until golden, then served with a bright lemon and caper pan sauce.
This chicken piccata with white wine also uses finely grated Parmesan in the flour coating and dry white wine in the sauce. Sliced garlic, chicken broth, lemon juice, capers, butter, and fresh parsley finish the dish.
The result is savory and buttery with enough lemon and capers to keep the sauce bright rather than overly rich.
Table of contents
Ingredients
Let’s Make Chicken Piccata
- Prepare the Chicken
Slice the chicken breasts horizontally into thinner cutlets if needed. Pat them dry, then season both sides with salt and black pepper.
- Make the Coating
On a shallow plate, combine the flour, finely grated Parmesan, and garlic powder.
Dredge each chicken cutlet in the mixture, coating both sides lightly. Shake off any excess flour.
- Sear the Chicken
Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon salted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the chicken cutlets in a single layer and cook until golden on both sides and cooked through. Work in batches if needed so the pan is not overcrowded.
Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean plate.
- Cook the Garlic
Lower the heat slightly and add the thinly sliced garlic to the same skillet.
Cook briefly until fragrant, being careful not to let it burn.
- Add the White Wine
Pour in the dry white wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
Let the wine cook briefly so the sauce starts to reduce.
- Build the Piccata Sauce
Add the chicken broth, fresh lemon juice, and drained capers.
Stir and let the sauce simmer until it reduces slightly.
- Return the Chicken
Place the golden chicken cutlets back into the skillet and spoon the lemon-caper sauce over the top.
Let the chicken warm through in the sauce.
- Finish With Butter
Reduce the heat and add the 2 tablespoons cold salted butter.
Swirl or stir gently until the butter melts into the sauce and gives it a smooth, glossy finish.
- Add Parsley and Serve
Sprinkle with the fresh parsley and spoon plenty of sauce, capers, and garlic over each chicken cutlet.
Serve warm with fresh lemon wedges if desired.
How to Keep Chicken Piccata Tender and Juicy
Thin, even chicken pieces are important here. Your process photos show the two large chicken breasts prepared as thinner cutlets, which lets them brown quickly without needing a long cooking time.
Coat the chicken just before it goes into the skillet. The flour and Parmesan create a light crust that helps the surface turn golden while also giving the pan sauce something to cling to.
Avoid crowding the skillet. Each cutlet needs good contact with the hot pan to brown rather than steam.
The most important thing is not cooking the chicken longer than necessary. For safety, USDA recommends chicken reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) measured with a food thermometer. For thin chicken breasts, insert the thermometer from the side so the probe reaches the center. USDA – Food Thermometers and Safe Cooking Temperatures Food Safety and Inspection Service
Once the chicken is cooked, let the white wine, broth, lemon, garlic, and capers form the sauce separately. Add the cold butter near the end so the sauce becomes glossy instead of oily.
These small steps make a big difference in chicken piccata with white wine, especially because thin chicken breasts can go from juicy to dry very quickly.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Using chicken pieces that are too thick: Thin cutlets cook faster and more evenly.
Overcrowding the skillet: Cook in batches if necessary so the chicken develops golden color.
Skipping the Parmesan-flour coating: The coating helps create the lightly crisp surface shown in your finished photos.
Burning the garlic: Thinly sliced garlic cooks quickly. Add it after the chicken rather than leaving it in the pan during the entire sear.
Not letting the wine reduce: Give the wine a little time in the skillet before building the rest of the sauce so the flavor doesn’t taste harsh.
Adding the cold butter over very high heat: Lower the heat before finishing the sauce so the butter melts smoothly into it.
Adding too much salt: Parmesan, capers, chicken broth, and salted butter all contribute saltiness, so don’t add extra salt to the finished sauce before tasting.
Overcooking the chicken: Thin chicken breasts finish quickly. Check doneness with a thermometer rather than continuing to cook based only on color.
What to Serve With Chicken Piccata
This chicken piccata with white wine works especially well with:
- Garlic butter rice
- Mashed potatoes
- Roasted baby potatoes
- Angel hair pasta
- Spaghetti
- Green beans
- Roasted broccoli
- Cucumber salad
- Green salad
- Roasted vegetables
A simple starch is especially useful because it can soak up the lemon, wine, butter, and caper sauce left on the plate.
FAQs
Use a dry white wine, such as Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio, as listed in this recipe.
Avoid using a noticeably sweet wine because it changes the flavor of the lemon-caper sauce.
The light flour coating helps the chicken develop a golden surface in the skillet.
This recipe also adds finely grated Parmesan and garlic powder to the flour for extra flavor.
Your recipe specifies drained capers. I would keep that wording rather than telling readers to rinse them unless that’s part of your tested method.
The pan may be too hot when the final cold butter is added. Lowering the heat and swirling the butter into the sauce helps create a smoother, glossier finish.
Capers are an important part of this version. They provide the salty, briny contrast to the butter, lemon, and white wine.
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Chicken Piccata with White Wine and Capers
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- If the chicken breasts are thick, slice each one horizontally into two thinner cutlets, as shown in your process photos.
- Season the chicken with the salt and black pepper.
- On a shallow plate, combine the flour, finely grated Parmesan, and garlic powder.
- Coat each chicken piece lightly in the flour mixture and shake off the excess.
- Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon salted butter in a large skillet.
- Add the chicken and cook until golden on both sides and the center reaches 165°F (74°C). Work in batches if necessary.
- Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean plate.
- Add the sliced garlic to the skillet and cook briefly until fragrant without letting it burn.
- Pour in the white wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Let the wine reduce slightly.
- Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, and drained capers.
- Simmer until the sauce reduces slightly and the flavors come together.
- Return the chicken to the skillet and spoon the sauce over the top.
- Lower the heat and swirl in the 2 tablespoons cold salted butter until the sauce looks glossy.
- Finish with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges if desired.
Nutrition
Video
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