This dairy-free Chicken Piccata with Artichokes is incredibly comforting without being overly rich. The lemon caper sauce with artichokes is bright and full of flavor. It’s a go-to for hosting dinner parties and a crowdpleaser any time of year.
Why you’ll love this Chicken Piccata recipe:
Easy to make- This classic dish comes together in about 40 minutes. The lemon caper sauce is so bright and simple to make. I always serve this chicken piccata with rice to soak up every last bit sauce.
A healthier spin- Chicken piccata is a classic and loved Italian dish, that doesn’t need updating. However, I really enjoy the addition of artichokes and appreciate the versatility of keeping this chicken piccata dairy free and/or gluten free. You can also completely omit the wine if alcohol isn’t your thing.
Perfect for hosting- I like to finish cooking this chicken piccata in the oven when I’m hosting and making a double batch. I also appreciate being able to cook and serve in the same beautiful casserole dish.
Ingredients for Chicken Piccata:
Chicken breast- Pounding the chicken breast tenderizes the meat while also ensuring and even and quick cooking time.
Flour- The chicken is dredged (lightly coated) in flour and spices. Dredging helps to chicken to brown, retains more moisture as well as slightly thickening the sauce. A 1:1 gluten-free flour blend could be used here to keep the recipe gluten free.
Avocado oil- Provides healthy fat for cooking chicken and helps to brown it a little. I prefer cooking with avocado oil since it can withstand a higher smoking point, however you could use sunflower seed or canola oil.
Dry white wine- Wine is traditional in a classic chicken piccata sauce and adds such a depth of flavor. The alcohol is cooked out, however I sometimes omit wine when I don’t want to open an entire bottle just to use a 1/4 cup. This sauce is equally delicious if omitting the wine.
Artichoke hearts- This is my not-so-traditional addition to the classic chicken piccata recipe. Artichokes are delicious in addition to being high in fiber, nutrients and minerals. I’ll either use canned or frozen artichoke hearts to save myself some time with this recipe.
Capers- Capers are native to Mediterranean region and widely used in the regional cuisine. They are typically brined and add so much flavor to any dish. They go particularly well with seafood, pastas and bagels with lox (my fav).
Vegetable or chicken stock- Stock adds so much flavor to the sauce, especially if omitting the white wine. A good quality stock is preferable and bone broth could also be used if you want extra protein and collagen.
Lemon- I always have at least a dozen lemons on hand for dressing and sauces. We go through a lot of lemons in my household as it’s typically my preferred acid for brightening up most dishes. Interestingly, in addition to being high in vitamin C, lemons can help you absorb more iron.
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Chicken Piccata with Artichokes (Dairy-Free)
Ingredients
- 1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour or 1:1 gluten free flour
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 Tbsp avocado oil
Sauce
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)
- 2 cups artichoke hearts, canned or frozen and thawed, roughly chopped
- 2-3 Tbsp capers, drained
- 2 cups vegetable or chicken stock or bone broth
- 1-2 lemons, juiced
Instructions
- Butterfly chicken breasts. With a mallet, lightly pound each piece of chicken to a uniform thickness. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
- Mix flour, onion powder and garlic powder in a shallow dish. Individually coat each piece of chicken in the flour mixture. Shake off excess flour then place the dredged chicken on a clean plate.
- Add avocado oil to a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Pan-fry each piece of chicken until golden, about 2-3 minutes per side. Place chicken back on the plate.
- Add garlic, wine (if using), artichokes, capers, stock and lemon juice to the pan. Cook sauce for a few minutes, taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Put the chicken back in the pan with the sauce until cooked through, about another 10 minutes.
- NOTE: When making a double batch, I like to place the pan fried chicken in a casserole dish, pour the sauce over it and finish cooking at 350°F in the oven for about 10-15 minutes. There can be two layers of chicken in the dish as long as there is enough sauce.
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