Gluten-Free Chicken Piccata

Name: Gluten-Free Chicken Piccata
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 chicken breasts (butterflied in half and pounded); ¼ cup gluten-free all-purpose flour (see suggestions below); ½ tsp garlic powder; ½ tsp salt; ½ tsp black pepper; 2 tbsp olive oil; 3 tbsp butter (cold); 1 cup dry white wine or chicken broth (either will work, or ½ cup of each); Juice of 1 lemon; 2 tbsp capers; 2 tsp fresh parsley to garnish

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This gluten-free chicken piccata is bright and buttery with it's classic lemon butter caper sauce. Butterflied chicken breasts are coated in gluten-free flour in this easy weeknight 30 minute meal.

This Gluten-Free Chicken Piccata is the perfect 30-minute weeknight meal that looks and tastes super impressive. Butterflied chicken breasts are lightly dusted in your choice of gluten-free flour, then pan-fried and coated in a delicious lemon-butter-caper sauce. It tastes high-end yet couldn't be easier to make!

This allergy-friendly version of the Italian classic is gluten-free, egg-free, nut-free, and soy-free with an option to be grain-free and dairy-free. Keep reading to learn just how easy it is to make!

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What is Chicken Piccata?
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Substitutions
Step-by-Step Instructions
What to Serve with Chicken Piccata
Make Ahead
Storage
Expert Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Recipes
Recipe

What is Chicken Piccata?

In my research, the origins of chicken piccata seem to be a bit muddy. My conclusion is that chicken piccata is an Italian-American rendition of a more classic Italian dish, Veal Piccata. When referenced in cooking, piccata refers to thin slices of meat, sautéed with a sauce.

Chicken piccata is an Italian restaurant staple, at least in North America. It features a lightly floured chicken cutlet, pounded very thin and pan fried with a buttery, lemony sauce. The chicken is plated topped with the sauce and capers.

Chicken piccata is rich from the butter, tart from the lemon, and salty from the capers. It pairs deliciously with Italian meals and sides such as mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, and focaccia bread.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Simple ingredients. Fridge and pantry staples make this dish easy and accessible.
Great for kids and adults. Kids will love this saucy chicken dish. If they are picky, omit the capers on their plates.
Quick prep and quick cook. This chicken piccata is ready from start to finish in 30 minutes!
Allergy-friendly. This version of the classic dish is gluten-free, egg-free, nut-free, and soy-free with an option to be grain-free and dairy-free.

Ingredients

Here is everything you'll need to make this gluten-free chicken piccata:

Chicken breasts: Butterflied in half and pounded.

Gluten-free all-purpose flour: You can use just about any gluten-free flour you have for this recipe since it's a light dusting on the chicken.

Garlic powder: I don't believe this is a traditional ingredient, but a little garlic powder mixed into the flour never hurts.

Salt & pepper: Taste for seasoning and adjust as you go.

Olive oil & butter: Both are used to fry the chicken cutlets, giving them an amazing buttery flavour and golden brown crust. Cold butter is then stirred into the sauce later to form a creamy emulsion.

Butter Note: It is important that the 2 tablespoon butter for the sauce are cold, straight from the fridge. You will turn the heat on the sauce down to low at this point, and stir or whisk in the cold butter. This slow mixing will allow the sauce to emulsify. Too hot and the butter may sizzle and separate.

Dry white wine or chicken broth: Either will work, use what you have on hand. If I have wine hanging around, I actually enjoy using ½ cup of each.

Lemon: Fresh is best here! Add another lemon if you want to garnish.

Capers: These are little green salty buds. With flavours reminiscent of green olives, capers are actually pickled flower buds. They pair really well with the rich, tangy sauce.

Fresh parsley: This is a classic chicken piccata garnish.

Substitutions

There are a few ways to change up this gluten-free chicken piccata depending on your preferences. Here are some substitution suggestions:

Gluten-free flour: Just about any flour should do for this recipe, since it's just a light coating on the chicken. Gluten-free all-purpose, rice flour, tapioca starch, etc. should all work.
Wine or chicken broth: I like to use a combination of ½ cup each, though you can use 1 cup of either in this recipe.
Dairy-free option: Use your favourite dairy-free butter in the sauce. I recommend one that comes in brick form since it will be the most similar to butter.
No capers? No problem. You can simply omit the capers, or add some sliced green olives to the dish for a similar saltiness.

top view of chicken piccata with sauce on a white plate.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Be sure to read the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and instructions for how to make this gluten-free chicken piccata.

(1) Prepare the chicken by pressing down on a chicken breast with one hand and slicing through horizontally to butterfly the breast.

Cover with plastic wrap and use a meat mallet or heavy object to pound the breast to an even thickness. Use a sharp knife to slice the breast into 2 cutlets. Repeat with the other chicken breast.

(2) On a large plate, stir together the gluten-free flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Coat both sides of each chicken cutlet in the flour and set aside.

chicken butterflied and coated in gluten free flour on a plate.

(3) Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter to the pan. Sear the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side.

(4) Once golden brown, remove from the pan, ensuring the chicken is cooked through to 165ºF.

Chicken must be cooked to an internal temperature of 165ºF. Use a probe meat thermometer to check the internal temperature.

(5) Deglaze the pan with wine and/or chicken stock. Allow to simmer until reduced by half.

(6) Squeeze in the lemon juice, then reduce the heat to low and stir in the 2 tablespoon of cold butter.

piccata sauce boiling then swirling butter in.

(7) Add the capers. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed.

(8) Serve the chicken topped with sauce and capers. Enjoy with mashed potatoes, rice, veggies, and more.

spatula swirling capers into piccata sauce, then drizzled on the chicken.

What to Serve with Chicken Piccata

There are so many ways to enjoy this gluten-free chicken piccata. It is best served hot, fresh off the stove. Here are some great side dishes to go with it:

Make Ahead

You can prepare this chicken piccata slightly ahead of time, but no more than a few hours, I'd say. Fry the chicken, remove from the pan, then make the sauce.

To reheat, place the chicken and the sauce in a large skillet with a lid. Reheat with the lid on over medium-low heat until the chicken is heated through. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon and serve.

For a crowd

Feel free to double or triple this recipe for a larger crowd!

Storage

Storage: Leftover chicken and sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To reheat, place the chicken and the sauce in a large skillet with a lid. Reheat with the lid on over medium-low heat until the chicken is heated through. Or you can use the microwave. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon and serve.

I do not recommend freezing this dish.

fork with a sliced piece of chicken piccata.

Expert Tips

Here are some of my top tips and tricks for successful gluten-free chicken piccata:

Preheat the pan while preparing the chicken for the quickest prep time.
Let the sauce reduce by half. This will only take a few minutes, as you will see the sauce bubble and evaporate. By reducing the wine and/or broth, you will end up with a deliciously emulsified, slightly thick piccata sauce.
The 2 tablespoon butter in the sauce MUST be cold. You will turn the heat on the sauce down to low at this point, and stir or whisk in the cold butter. This slow mixing will allow the sauce to emulsify. Too hot and the butter may sizzle and separate.
Ensure the chicken is cooked through. Thin chicken cutlets will cook quick, so use a probe meat thermometer to monitor the internal temperature reaching 165ºF.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does chicken piccata contain gluten?

Normally, yes! The chicken cutlets are usually dredged in flour, which would not be gluten-free! This recipe uses your favourite gluten-free flour instead.

What can I use instead of capers?

You can simply omit the capers, or add some sliced green olives to the dish for a similar saltiness.

Can I make this chicken piccata dairy-free?

Use your favourite dairy-free butter in the sauce. I recommend one that comes in brick form since it will be the most similar to butter.

Can I use almond flour?

While the type of gluten-free flour should not matter, I'm not sure if almond flour would stick to the chicken as well as a more "powdery" gluten-free flour. I recommend a gluten-free all-purpose flour, tapioca starch, rice flour, etc.

chicken piccata covered in sauce on a plate.

This gluten-free chicken piccata is an easy weeknight meal that is delicious and impressive. In just 30 minutes, you can have this restaurant quality dish that is gluten-free and allergy-friendly. Friends and family will be so impressed!

More Gluten-Free Chicken Recipes:

Have you made this gluten-free chicken piccata? I'd very much appreciate it if you leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review below, and tag me on instagram @livglutenfree!