Lemony Chicken Piccata Crock Pot (Printable)
Tender chicken breasts slow-cooked in a tangy lemon-caper sauce for an effortless Italian-inspired weeknight dinner.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
03 - 1/4 cup gluten-free flour (or all-purpose flour)
→ Cooking Liquids & Flavorings
04 - 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
05 - 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
06 - 1 tablespoon lemon zest
07 - 3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
08 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
→ Garnish
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
12 - Lemon slices (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Pat the chicken breasts dry and season both sides generously with salt and black pepper. Dredge each breast in flour, shaking off any excess coating.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken breasts for 2–3 minutes per side until lightly golden. Do not cook through—this is only to develop a crust.
03 - Place the seared chicken breasts in the bottom of the crock pot in a single layer.
04 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, and capers. Pour the mixture evenly over the chicken in the crock pot.
05 - Dot the top of each chicken breast with pieces of the unsalted butter.
06 - Cover the crock pot and cook on LOW for 4 hours (or on HIGH for approximately 2 hours), until the chicken is tender and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F.
07 - Carefully remove the chicken from the crock pot. Whisk the remaining sauce in the pot until smooth, then spoon it over the chicken. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and lemon slices if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The slow cooker does all the work after a quick sear, making this perfect for busy evenings when you still want something impressive.
- Lemon and capers together create this incredible tangy sauce that tastes far more indulgent than the effort requires.
02 -
- Do not skip the searing step because that brief browning creates a flavor foundation that the slow cooker alone simply cannot replicate.
- If you want a thicker sauce, whisk one tablespoon of cornstarch with two tablespoons of cold water and stir it in during the last fifteen minutes of cooking.
03 -
- Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness before dredging so they cook uniformly and nobody ends up with a dry edge.
- Taste the sauce before serving and add a tiny pinch of sugar if the lemon feels too sharp because a little sweetness rounds everything out perfectly.