Sautéed chicken breasts in a buttery lemon, caper, and parsley sauce, this Lemon Caper Chicken is one of my most popular recipes. Super fast and easy to make, it's one of those rare, winning dishes that everyone in the family loves. Start to finish in 15 minutes - you'll definitely want to add it to your weekly rotation!
The chicken in this Lemon Caper Chicken is tender and juicy, smothered in a delicious lemony, buttery sauce with capers and fresh parsley. It has the perfect blend of flavors and is oh so simple. Enjoy it as a low carb option or serve it over pasta. The sauce is amazing over pasta. My kids can't get enough of it!
I like to use a flattened chicken breast in this dish for quicker, more even cooking. If the chicken breasts are thick, slice them in half length-wise and give them a little pounding with a kitchen mallet to flatten them. If they're small enough, just give them a few whacks to even them out a bit. An alternative would be to use chicken tenders.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. I make this Lemon Caper Chicken both with and without dredging the breasts in flour before cooking them. Not using flour makes them a little lighter, lower in carbs, and gives you one less step. Tossing them with a little flour makes a lovely, crunchy coating that browns up nicely, adds to the flavor, and helps thicken the sauce. My family prefers this dish with the flour so that's what I usually go with. You can put some flour in a dish and dip the chicken in, or if your chicken is on the cutting board after flattening it, just sprinkle some flour on top and toss it around.
Sauté the chicken breasts in a little oil until they are golden brown on both sides and cooked through. Remove the chicken, and deglaze the pan with chicken broth. I like to use water and a bouillon cube for the extra kick of flavor it gives. When it comes to a boil, return the chicken to the pan and let it simmer for about a minute then turn off the heat. Add the lemon juice. Stir in the butter until it melts. The butter helps thicken the sauce. Sprinkle on the capers and parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Such a simple dish and so delicious!
Enjoy! Don't forget to pin for later!
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Recipe
Lemon Caper Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breasts 454g
- ½ cup all purpose flour optional
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 tablespoon if not using flour
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth or 1 ½ cups water and 1 bouillon cube
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or to taste
- 1 tablespoon capers drained
- 3 tablespoons cold butter cut into 3 pieces
- handful of chopped fresh parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Flatten the chicken breasts slightly for quicker, more even cooking. If the chicken breasts are thick, slice them in half length-wise and give them a little pounding with a kitchen mallet to flatten them. If they're small enough, just give them a few whacks to even them out a bit.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- If you are using flour, put the flour into a dish and dredge chicken, piece by piece, coating chicken lightly on both sides. Alternatively, sprinkle flour over the chicken and toss to coat the chicken.
- Sauté the chicken breasts in oil until they are golden brown on both sides and cooked through.
- Remove the chicken and deglaze the pan with chicken broth or water and bouillon.
- When it comes to a boil, return the chicken to the pan and let it simmer for about a minute then turn off the heat.
- Add the lemon juice. Stir in the butter until it melts. The butter helps thicken the sauce. Sprinkle on the capers and parsley.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- I like to use a flattened chicken breast in this dish for quicker, more even cooking. If the chicken breasts are thick, slice them in half length-wise and give them a little pounding with a kitchen mallet to flatten them.
Paula says
Made this recipe as is and it was super good and easy! My kids loved it and they are pretty picky. They loved chicken when it was sautéed before adding the broth and other ingredients too!
Kelly says
So happy you liked it, Paula! Thanks so much!
Susanne says
Kelly, tried your Lemon Caper Chicken today and it is so delicious! The sauce is so yummy on the pasta! This is definitely a keeper. Thank you so much for sharing!
Kelly says
So happy you liked it, Susanne! Thanks so much!
mary anderson says
i can feel the taste of lemon on that chicken! well presented and recipe easy recipe to make! i've seen some really good post here on your site keep it up!
Kelly says
Thanks so much, Mary! I appreciate your kind words!
Adina says
Beautiful pictures! This is definitely a dish I would like to eat any time.
Kelly says
Thank you, Adina! The whole family loves it!
annie@ciaochowbambina says
I'm with your kids! I wouldn't be able to get enough of this dish either! Delicious!!
Kelly says
Thank you, Annie! 🙂 We eat it so often because it's so quick and easy to make!
Easy Chicken says
Great post!
Dear Kelly, it's very beautiful to see. I like your explanation. thank u
Kelly says
Thank you! 🙂