Chicken Piccata
Thin, golden chicken cutlets in a bright lemon, caper and white wine pan sauce finished with butter. Lightly dusted with almond flour instead of wheat.
Nutrition per serving
1 cutlet with sauce- Net carbs
- 3.6g
- Calories
- 442kcal
- Protein
- 41g
- Fat
- 26g
- Total carbs
- 4.8 g
- Fiber
- 1.2 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
Salmon piccata: Seared salmon fillets with the same lemony caper butter sauce. The acidity cuts through the rich fish.
- Skip pounding and dredging. Season the salmon and sear it presentation-side down in the oil and butter 4 minutes, until golden, then flip and cook 2–3 minutes, until it reaches 145°F (63°C).
- Make the sauce as written and spoon it over the fillets.
Dairy-free: Olive oil replaces the butter for searing and finishing. The sauce is lighter and a little sharper but still clings to the cutlets.
- Cook the cutlets in the oil alone, then finish the sauce by whisking 2 tbsp olive oil into the reduced sauce off the heat.
- For a bit more body, simmer the sauce an extra minute before finishing it.
With artichoke hearts: Quartered artichoke hearts simmered in the lemon sauce make the dish more substantial and add a pleasant tang.
- Add the artichoke hearts with the broth and lemon juice so they warm through and absorb the sauce.
- Cutlets
- Lemon caper sauce
- Nice to have (optional)
- Cutlets
-
¼ cup blanched almond flourleave out - Lemon caper sauce
- Nice to have (optional)
- Cutlets
- Lemon caper sauce
- Nice to have (optional)
- Cutlets
- Lemon caper sauce
- Also add
- Nice to have (optional)
Estimated cost $11.24 for 4 servings ($2.81 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
-
Place the cutlets between sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even ¼–½ inch (6–12 mm). Season both sides with the salt and pepper, then dredge lightly in the almond flour and shake off the excess.
-
Heat 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the butter foams. Cook 2 cutlets 3–4 minutes per side, until golden and 165°F (74°C) in the center. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining oil, 1 tbsp butter and cutlets.
-
Lower the heat to medium. Add the shallot and garlic to the pan and cook 1 minute, stirring, until soft and fragrant.
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Pour in the wine and scrape up the browned bits. Simmer 2–3 minutes, until reduced by about half.
-
Add the broth, lemon juice and capers and simmer 3–4 minutes more, until the sauce has reduced by about a third.
-
Take the pan off the heat and swirl in the remaining 2 tbsp cold butter a piece at a time, until the sauce turns glossy and slightly thick. Return the chicken and its juices, turn to coat and scatter with parsley.
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Serve with zoodles, cauliflower mash or roasted asparagus to soak up the sauce.
Tips for success
-
Adding the cold butter off the heat is what makes the sauce creamy. If it boils after that, the butter separates and the sauce turns greasy. - The almond flour coating is thin. It browns the cutlets and slightly thickens the sauce. You can skip it for a lighter, uncoated version.
- Rinse the capers if they’re packed in salt, and taste the sauce before adding any extra salt.
Nice to have, not needed
- A meat mallet makes even cutlets — a rolling pin or a heavy skillet does the job.
Storage & meal prepMeal-prep friendly
- Keeps 3 days in the fridge
- Doesn’t freeze well
Reheat: Rewarm gently in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of broth; high heat can split the butter sauce.
Refrigerate up to 3 days. Rewarm gently in a covered skillet with a splash of broth; high heat can split the butter sauce.
Variations
3 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosSalmon piccata
ProteinSeared salmon fillets with the same lemony caper butter sauce. The acidity cuts through the rich fish.
- boneless skinless chicken breasts → skinless salmon fillets (6 oz / 170 g each)
- no blanched almond flour
3 g net · 551 kcal · 36 g protein · 41 g fat · ≈$5.23 per serving (−0.6 g net carbs vs the original)
Dairy-free
DietOlive oil replaces the butter for searing and finishing. The sauce is lighter and a little sharper but still clings to the cutlets.
- butter → extra-virgin olive oil
3.6 g net · 430 kcal · 40 g protein · 25 g fat · ≈$2.88 per serving (same net carbs as the original)
With artichoke hearts
VeggiesQuartered artichoke hearts simmered in the lemon sauce make the dish more substantial and add a pleasant tang.
- + 1 can artichoke hearts (14 oz / 400 g can)
6.2 g net · 466 kcal · 42 g protein · 27 g fat · ≈$3.44 per serving (+2.6 g net carbs vs the original)
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