Skinny Lemon Chicken Piccata

This delicious, lighter twist on classic chicken piccata is full of zesty flavor and pairs perfectly with your favorite pasta and salad!

Skinny Lemon Chicken Piccata – Lighter twist on classic chicken piccata is full of zesty flavor and pairs perfectly with your favorite pasta and salad! | thecomfortofcooking.com

When I cook for just myself, the emphasis is on food that’s fast, filling and delicious. Sadly, that usually means cereal and PB&J’s… neither of which fall anywhere smart on the food chain. And, as far as delicious goes, well… they’ll do in a pinch!

Food like this light, lemony chicken piccata is what’s truly delicious, but still fills your belly and comes together pretty quickly. After a week of Cheerios, it’s what I look forward to cooking again when hubby comes home from traveling!

Skinny Lemon Chicken Piccata – Lighter twist on classic chicken piccata is full of zesty flavor and pairs perfectly with your favorite pasta and salad! | thecomfortofcooking.com

Crispy chicken cutlets placed on a bed of pasta, drizzled with sauce, and served with a big green salad…. now that’s dinner! The bright aromas and zesty flavors in this chicken piccata are so reminiscent of summer – just the hit of freshness we need during this cold February.

Skinny Lemon Chicken Piccata – Lighter twist on classic chicken piccata is full of zesty flavor and pairs perfectly with your favorite pasta and salad! | thecomfortofcooking.com

The chicken is super tender and moist, and topped with a tangy lemon-garlic sauce with white wine, you can cook your meal and really enjoy it, too. No need to worry about your waistline with this one, folks!

The classic chicken piccata is a calorie-packed plate, with a typical serving clocking in at over 400 calories. For THIS one, you only need 1 Tbsp. of butter and a bunch of pantry staples! That’s right, we’re keeping the buttery-rich flavor in and the full-of-butter fat out.

For a special night in, or a fun twist on a traditional Italian meal, try this chicken piccata. You and whoever is lucky enough to enjoy it with you will just love it. It’s one of my (and hubby’s) longtime favorite meals!

Skinny Lemon Chicken Piccata

Skinny Lemon Chicken Piccata

Yield: 2 to 4

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup + 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour, divided
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved
  • 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
  • 2 Tablespoons capers, rinsed
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 4 (2-inch) strips lemon zest
  • 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

Instructions

  1. Spread 1/4 cup flour in a shallow dish. Pound each chicken breast half into thin cutlets (for 4 cutlets total). Dry cutlets with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Dredge one side of each cutlet in flour, shaking off excess.
  2. Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, lay 2 cutlets, floured side down, in the skillet. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown. Flip cutlets over and continue to cook until no longer pink, about 1 more minute. Transfer cutlets to a plate and tent loosely with foil. Repeat with remaining 1 Tablespoon oil and 2 cutlets.
  3. Add capers and garlic to the skillet. Return to medium heat and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Stir in remaining 1 teaspoon flour until incorporated. Whisk in broth, wine and lemon zest strips, scraping any browned bits for additional flavor. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened slightly and reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 10 to 15 minutes.
  4. Return cutlets into the sauce, simmering until heated through and spooning sauce over chicken, about 30 seconds. Transfer chicken to serving plates. Off heat, remove lemon zest and whisk lemon juice and butter into sauce.
  5. Serve to individual plates and spoon sauce over the chicken.
  6. Enjoy!

Did you make this recipe?

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Join the Conversation

  1. I love the bright and fresh flavours in this! Just the hit of sunshine I need right now. What a lovely dinner idea, can’t wait to give this a try.

  2. This looks delicious! I made crusted lemon turkey the other day, and it did give me that Summer feeling, bliss :D
    Might have to try this take on it next time I’m wanting zingy chicken :D
    x

  3. This is SO beautiful!! It’s only 7:30 a.m. but I totally feel like I need this for dinner tonight!

  4. Yum! I love that you’ve gone skinny with this dish. Adding it to my “try soon” list. What a great way to welcome hubby home too :)

  5. This looks so lemony and delicious, Georgia! It’s nice to see a bright, citrus dish during what can be a dull and dreary time of year. :)

  6. This looks like an incredible idea for dinner. And I love that you skinnied it up!

  7. SOOO GORGEOUS!! I love how you skinnified it and it still looks so incredible!

  8. This is beautiful and sounds like a perfect dinner! Love that it’s skinny too!

  9. This sounds amazing! Pinned!

  10. A great recipe! But I have a problem… I don’t drink wine and know nothing about it… What type of wines are considered “dry”????? Thanks!

  11. OMG, I have to make this very soon. Looks gorgeous and I know my family will love this. My son is into capers (for smoked salmon bagel – he put a lot), and he’ll be thrilled to see a dish with capers in it. I know, it’s strange palate for 7 year old…

  12. I love piccata dishes..this looks so beautiful and delicious.

  13. A dry white wine is any that isn’t sparkling or sweet. Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc are all good choices. You can usually find these in mini bottles too, but you can also omit the wine and replace it with additional chicken broth.

  14. These close up pics are making me hungry! Good job coming up with a skinny version!

  15. What a perfect light dinner! I think it would be lovely with a big green salad and some pasta indeed ;–) Thanks for the inspiration, I bet I’ll be having this so soon! <3

  16. What a great weeknight meal idea! Thanks for sharing– it looks delicious!

  17. Chicken Piccata is one of the things I like to order when I go out to eat. Now I can make it at home…yay! This looks like a lovely recipe.

  18. Oh yes! I saw this post for Chicken Piccata and my eyes and ears perked up this morning! I love, love Chicken Piccata, and now make Haddock Piccata. I just can’t get enough lemon! Looks delish!

  19. Chicken Piccata is my go to menu item at my favorite Italian restaurants but I have never made it in my own kitchen! I am motivated now! Thanks for sharing!

  20. I am terrible at cooking just for myself. This is a gorgeous meal, I need to add this to next week’s meal plan!

  21. Loving this skinny version of Lemon Chicken Piccata! Cannot wait to make. Gorgeous photography, too, as always. :) Thanks for sharing, Georgia! Pinning!

  22. You can’t beat chicken with a good pan sauce for a quick, delicious dinner. This looks absolutely perfect to me! Pinning and trying :)

  23. I made this and served it with rice. It was delicious and I will definitely be making it again soon!

  24. I love meals like this… lemons is one of my favorite flavors for sweet and savory dishes.

  25. This looks wonderful and easy to prepare. I love lemon in anything. Thanks for sharing!

  26. I made this w/ more garlic and lemon zest, less capers, and added quartered articokes after the broth and wine. Served over wheat spaghetti. It wad better than a restuarant !

  27. Well, I made this tonight. And even though it doesnt look as nice & yummy like the picture, it’s still pretty good. And Juicy!!

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