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Quick and easy Lemon Butter Chicken Piccata with Pesto Polenta. Lightly breaded chicken seared until golden with fresh lemon and butter. The chicken is finished in a simple white wine pan sauce with garlic asparagus. It’s simple flavors but mouthwatering. Especially when served over creamy pesto parmesan polenta. Everything together is delicious and perfect for spring and summer cooking.
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Chicken piccata is the essential spring dinner. It’s lighter, yet has a touch of coziness to it. Making it great for the all-over-the-place springtime weather. But most importantly, it’s just a simple, delicious dinner to serve on a hectic weeknight.
Chicken piccata is traditionally a one-pan recipe, so right out of the gate, we know it’s going to be easy to prepare!
Details – start with the piccata
If you’ve made chicken parmesan, this is similar. In fact, my recipe uses parmesan in the coating (because why not add some yummy parmesan to the mix!). Dredge the chicken through a mix of flour and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Then pan-sear it in a hot skillet. This allows the chicken to form a nice golden crust on the outside and gives the sauce something to cling to. Using thin chicken cutlets is key. The thin chicken cooks evenly and browns nicely in a short amount of time.
If your grocery store does not carry chicken cutlets, try asking your butcher to pound out chicken breasts for you. Or do what I do. Take the chicken breasts and simply slice them in half. It’s not the right way to make chicken cutlets, but it works.
Pull the chicken out of the pan, add the asparagus, and cook in a little butter and garlic. Then add in the wine plus lemon juice. Next, add the chicken back and let everything simmer until the sauce thickens a bit.
The polenta
Making polenta is easy, especially when using instant polenta.
Simply boil water, whisk in the polenta, then add butter, parmesan, and pesto. It takes maybe 10 minutes total and always turns out creamy and so delicious. Our family loves a creamy polenta side dish.
The chicken soaks up all that delicious buttery pan sauce. It’s perfectly seasoned with lemon. And I love the addition of the springtime asparagus. It’s such an underused vegetable that shockingly, every person in my family enjoys.
Polenta is surprisingly satisfying, it’s the perfect creamy base for the saucy chicken. Everything about this Lemon Butter Chicken Piccata comes together easily and effortlessly. Just what we all need!
Looking for other spring dinner recipes? Here are some favorites:
Easiest One Pan Caprese Pesto Orzo Bake
Quick Wontons in Chili Oil with Asparagus
Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos with Fried Avocado
Sheet Pan Lemon Brown Butter Salmon and Potatoes
Lastly, if you make this Lemon Butter Chicken Piccata with Pesto Polenta, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Lemon Butter Chicken Piccata with Pesto Polenta
Ingredients
- 4 chicken cutlets, or 2 boneless chicken breasts, sliced in half horizontally
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, (can use GF flour too)
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 3 tablespoons capers
Polenta
- 1 cup dry instant polenta
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/4 cup basil pesto
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
Instructions
- 1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the flour and parmesan in a shallow bowl and dredge the chicken through the flour mix, pressing to adhere.2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear on both sides until golden, about 3-5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the skillet.3. To the same skillet, add the butter, asparagus, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, capers, and thyme, cook another 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and lemon juice, cook 1 minute. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes, until warmed through.4. Meanwhile, make the polenta. Bring 3 cups water to a boil over medium heat in a medium pot. Whisk in the polenta, stirring until the polenta is soft and thickening, 5 minutes. Stir in the butter, parmesan, and 2 tablespoons pesto. 5. Spoon the polenta onto plates. Add the chicken and asparagus. Then spoon over the pan sauce. Finish with basil.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
One goal I have for 2023 is to try one new recipe a week. A recipe that is different from what I normally cook…this was my first one! So delicious! Really came together easily and taste amazing. I’m a chef now. LOL Looking forward to many more Half baked harvest recipes this year! Thanks!
Hey Megan,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xT
I Loved this recipe ! I want to make in a large batch for the holidays, do you think I can make the night before and then reheat next day? Just chicken, not the polenta. Thanks !
Hi Alyssa,
Happy Holidays!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! Sure, that should work for you! 🎁🎅
So delicious and a very easy to follow recipe. This would be a great meal for a “fancy” occasion but without the hard work.
Hey Allison,
Happy Monday! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it turned out well for you! Thanks for your comment! xT
So delish!!!! One of my favorite dishes ever! Thank you!!!
Hey Maria,
Happy Sunday! 🎃 So glad to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for making it and sharing your feedback! xx
This sounds yummy! My local stores only carry pre-made polenta in a tube. Could I substitute yellow corn meal or grits for the polenta? If so, would I need to alter the recipe to accommodate the substitution? Thank you in advance!
Hi Stacey,
Sure, grits should work well for you, you should be able to follow the recipe as written. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this dish! xT
This was delish!!
Hi Ginny,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making this dish and sharing your review, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xx
Wonderful recipe!! Easy to make. My husband always tells me, this is restaurant quality!! ❤️???
Hey Patti,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! Have the best weekend! xxT
Hi again Tieghan! Sorry for my double comments lol. How would you go about this if I want to make this slightly in advance? (Like hour before serving). Would you suggest just leaving the chicken and all in the pan and then just turn the heat back on and reheat when it’s time to serve? Or would you fridge it? (Ps—not making polenta) Thanks!
Hi Nicole,
Yeah, I would just leave it out and cover with foil and reheat:) I hope you love the recipe! xx
Amazing dish!!! It’s become a bi-weekly dish in my house ❤️❤️
Hey Diane,
Perfect! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, I am so glad it was a hit! xx
How would one best go about doubling the recipe? I would typically use one large skillet for all the chicken…so would you suggest 2 pans? Thanks.
Hey Nicole,
Yes, if you want to double I would use 2 pans for this recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Would you double the asparagus or divide 1 bunch x 2 pans? 1 bunch already feels like a lot. Thanks!
That’s really up to you and how much asparagus you want:)
I made this recipe twice already and it was delicious. For those that posted that it was too bland, you need to taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking. I always taste and adjust the seasoning.
Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe.
Hey Malena,
I really appreciate you giving this dish a try, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Hope you’re having a great Wednesday! xT
I apologize in advance for the poor review, but this was one of the worst meals I’ve made in a long time. The lemon was over powering and the polenta was beyond bland. I love your recipes but sometimes they are hit or miss- Quality over quantity!
Hi Nate,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try and sharing your feedback. Sorry to hear it was not enjoyed. xTieghan
Hello, I’m trying to pin this recipe but for some reason can’t.
Hi Daniella,
We are currently experiencing a glitch with out Pin feature, hoping to have that fixed soon! xTieghan
Absolutely delicious! As always
Hey Arianne,
Thanks for your comment! So glad to hear that this dish was a winner, thanks a lot for giving it a go! ?xTieghan
This is one of the most delicious meals I’ve ever made. This recipe is packed with so much flavor from the asparagus to the polenta and the chicken OMG it really is that good. I also appreciated how it easy it is to make. Thank you Tieghan!
Hi Iris,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks for trying it out! I hope you had a great holiday weekend!?
Made it for a dinner party…delicious; everyone loved it!
Hey Ellen,
Fantastic!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe and sharing your review, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! ?Tieghan