Chicken limone is a classic Italian dish that is bright, savory, and delicious! Featuring tender chicken cutlets simmered in a rich, lemon butter sauce, this easy recipe is perfect for busy weeknights, fancy dinner parties, or whenever you crave a touch of Mediterranean sunshine at your table!
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What is chicken limone? It's a traditional Italian dish made with juicy, thin sliced chicken cutlets simmered in a lemon butter sauce. Similar to a chicken piccata without the capers, it's made with simple ingredients and ready in less than 30 minutes!
Chicken breasts are a staple in my house during the week and this chicken limone turns a routine dinner into something special. It's the perfect combination of bright and savory that can be paired with many dishes. I love to serve it alongside this lemon caper pasta for a zesty, citrus-forward meal. It goes great with this ricotta pesto pasta, pairing well with the creamy pesto sauce. It's delicious with a piece of Ligurian focaccia to soak up the extra lemon butter sauce. You'll also love it sliced on top of this spinach and arugula salad, especially when topped with this white balsamic vinaigrette that complements the rich flavors.
If you're looking for more delicious and easy chicken recipes, check out this air fryer chicken sausage. It's another one of my go-to recipes for busy weeknights!
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Ingredients
Ingredient Notes:
- Chicken cutlets: these are chicken breasts that are sliced in half horizontally. They should be boneless, skinless, and pounded to a depth of ¼-inch. This ensures they cook evenly without getting dry. I prefer "air-chilled" chicken, which can make the meat extra tender and flavorful. For convenience, I often buy cutlets that come pounded thin. If pounding them yourself, place the cutlets between two pieces of parchment paper and use a meat mallet, rolling pin, or bottom of a heavy skillet to gently pound the chicken to ¼-inch thickness, starting from the center and working outward. If using whole chicken breasts, slice them in half horizontally with a sharp knife before pounding.
- Lemon juice: I recommend using freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor. It also avoids unwanted additives or preservatives that may be found in bottled juice.
- Lemon zest: this adds a burst of citrus that complements the richness of the sauce! You can use a zester or the fine grating side of a box grater (the side with the smallest holes). Gently rub the lemon against the grater to remove the outer, yellow portion of the peel. Avoid using the white part underneath because it can be bitter.
- Salted butter: I prefer to use salted butter because it enhances the flavor of the dish. It simplifies the seasoning, ensuring a consistent, well-balanced lemon butter sauce. If you only have unsalted butter on hand, it's no problem! You can add kosher salt to taste as the sauce simmers.
- Chicken bone broth: I love using bone broth instead of regular chicken broth because it adds a richness to the lemon butter sauce that cannot be imitated! It's made by simmering bones for 12 to 48 hours, releasing collagen and gelatin that thicken the broth and create complex flavor. Bone broth is one of my trusted ingredients for when I want to create a rich depth of flavor, as seen in my mushroom pappardelle recipe! If you don't have bone broth available, you can use regular chicken broth instead. The sauce will be a bit lighter, but will still be delicious.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Use a different cut of chicken: instead of cutlets, you can use chicken tenders which are smaller and lighter in flavor. You may need to cook the tenders for less time. You can also use chicken thighs, which will give the dish a more robust flavor. Since thighs are thicker and denser, they may need a longer time to cook. Regardless of which cut of chicken you are using, it's important to cook the meat to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Use a gluten-free flour: the all-purpose flour can be substituted with a gluten-free flour.
- Make it dairy-free: you can omit the butter for a dairy-free version. You may need to add more olive oil when cooking the chicken, as there should be enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. This will help to prevent sticking. Without the butter, the sauce will be lighter and less creamy. You may also need to add kosher salt to taste as the sauce simmers.
- Add a hint of spice: add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes for a bit of spice. It will complement the rich, lemon butter flavors.
- Make it extra creamy: you can stir in a splash of heavy cream as the sauce simmers for a richer, creamier version. Since the sauce contains lemon, adding cream can cause curdling to occur. To help prevent this, use a small amount of room temperature cream, adding it to the sauce at the end of the simmer time.
Instructions
Step 1: sprinkle salt and pepper evenly on each side of the chicken cutlets, rubbing it in to ensure even coverage (image 1a). Then place the all-purpose flour in a shallow bowl. Place each cutlet in the flour, turning to ensure both sides are lightly coated. Shake off any excess flour before cooking (image 1b).
Step 2: in a large sauté pan or skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat (image 2a). Then add the chicken cutlets, cooking in a single layer in batches for about 2 to 3 minutes each side (image 2b). When done, the chicken should be golden brown and cooked through with an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) (image 2c). Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate (image 2d).
Step 3: in the same pan, reduce the heat to medium-low and melt the remaining butter (image 3a). Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant (image 3b). Then carefully pour in the bone broth. Deglaze the pan by using a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom, incorporating them into the sauce (image 3c). Then pour in the lemon juice and lemon zest, stirring to combine. Bring the sauce to a simmer for 3 minutes, allowing it to reduce and thicken slightly (image 3d).
Step 4: return the chicken cutlets to the pan. Let the chicken simmer in the sauce for 2 to 3 minutes, allowing them to heat through and absorb the flavors. As the chicken simmers, spoon the lemon butter sauce over them (image 4). Then remove the pan from the heat and transfer the chicken to a serving plate. Pour the extra sauce on top of the chicken and garnish with lemon slices and chopped parsley. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Storage & Reheating
According to the USDA, you can store leftover cooked chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
You can reheat the leftover chicken in a microwave in 30 second increments until it reaches 165°F (74°C) throughout. Cover and rotate the food for even reheating. Since microwaved food can have cold spots, it's important to use a food thermometer to check the meat temperature in several different places to ensure its heated throughout. The sauce may thicken as it reheats, but you can add a splash of bone broth beforehand to thin it out.
For more information about how to store and reheat leftovers safely, check out this helpful USDA Leftovers and Food Safety guide.
Expert tips
- It's important to handle raw chicken safely. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before and after handling raw chicken. Clean all surfaces, utensils, and cutting boards with hot, soapy water after they come into contact with raw chicken. To prevent cross-contamination, use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw chicken and other foods. Also use a food thermometer to ensure the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- For the best flavor, season the chicken generously before coating in flour. This allows the seasoning to penetrate the meat, ensuring a more flavorful bite.
- Use a light hand when dredging the chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess before cooking. Too much flour can leave a thick, pasty coating on the chicken.
- Deglaze the pan after adding the bone broth to the sauce. To do so, use a wooden spoon to scrape up all of the browned bits on the bottom of the pan, incorporating them into the sauce for extra flavor.
FAQ
You can sauté vegetables like asparagus, bell peppers, or mushrooms in the pan after cooking the chicken. You can add them to the sauce or serve them on the side.
Chicken limone pairs well with salad because it is bright and citrusy. It goes great with burrata caprese or arugula and spinach salad. It's a delicious accompaniment to pasta, with pasta al pesto, mushroom pappardelle, and bucatini pomodoro being great options. An Italian dessert is the perfect end to the meal, such as Italian almond cake, chocolate ricotta cake, or salted caramel budino.
Related
Looking for more traditional Italian main dishes? Try these favorites:
Pairing
These are some of my favorite dishes to serve with chicken limone:
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Recipe
Chicken Limone
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Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken cutlets (boneless, skinless, pounded to ¼-inch thickness)*
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour *
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tablespoons salted butter (divided into two, 2-tablespoon portions)*
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ cup chicken bone broth *
- ¼ cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest *
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped, for garnish)
- lemon slices (for garnish)
Instructions
- Season and dredge the chicken: evenly sprinkle each side of the chicken cutlets with kosher salt and black pepper, rubbing it in to ensure even coverage. Place the all-purpose flour in a shallow dish. Then place each chicken cutlet in the flour, turning them to ensure both sides are lightly coated. Shake off any excess flour before cooking.
- Cook the chicken: in a large sauté pan or skillet, heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the chicken cutlets, cooking in a single layer in batches for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. When done, they will be golden brown and cooked to an internal temperature of 165℉ (74℃). Then remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate.
- Make the lemon butter sauce: in the same pan, reduce the heat to medium-low and melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Then carefully pour in the chicken broth. Deglaze the pan by using a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits on the bottom, incorporating them into the sauce. Then stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest. Bring the sauce to a simmer for about 3 minutes, allowing it to reduce and slightly thicken.
- Combine the sauce and chicken: return the chicken cutlets to the pan. Let the chicken simmer in the sauce for about 2 to 3 minutes, allowing them to heat through and absorb the flavors. As the chicken simmers, spoon the lemon butter sauce over them. Then remove the pan from the heat and transfer the chicken to a serving plate. Pour the extra sauce on top of the chicken and garnish with lemon slices and chopped parsley. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Chicken cutlets: these are chicken breasts that are sliced in half horizontally. For convenience, I often buy cutlets that come pounded thin. If pounding yourself, place the cutlets between two pieces of parchment paper. Use a meat mallet, rolling pin, or the bottom of a heavy skillet to gently pound the chicken to an even ¼-inch thickness, starting from the center outwards. If using whole chicken breasts, use a sharp knife to carefully slice them in half horizontally before pounding. You can also use chicken tenders or thighs, but may need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- All-purpose flour: you can substitute this with a gluten-free flour.
- Salted butter: you can use unsalted butter instead, but you may need to add extra kosher salt to taste as the sauce simmers. The butter can be omitted for a dairy-free version. If doing so, you may need to add more olive oil in step 2, when cooking the chicken. You should have enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking.
- Bone broth: this gives the sauce a rich and complex flavor. If you don't have bone broth on hand, you can instead use regular chicken broth.
- Lemon zest: use a zester or a fine grater to make the zest. Scrape the lemon peel against the grater to remove only the outer, yellow portion. Avoid using the white pith underneath because it can be bitter.
- Add a hint of spice: you can use some crushed red pepper flakes to add a bit of spice that will complement the rich, lemon butter sauce. Start with ¼ teaspoon in Step 3, when adding the garlic. You can add more to taste as needed while the sauce simmers.
- Make the sauce extra creamy: you can add a splash of heavy cream at the end of Step 3 to make the sauce extra rich and creamy. Since the sauce contains lemon juice, curdling can occur when cream is added. To help prevent this, use a small amount of room temperature cream, adding it at the end of the simmer time.
- Food safety: wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before and after handling raw chicken. Clean all surfaces, utensils, and cutting boards with hot, soapy water after they come into contact with raw chicken. To prevent cross-contamination, use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw chicken and other foods. Also use a food thermometer to ensure the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Equipment: a quick-read food thermometer to ensure the chicken is cooked to a safe temperature.
- Storage: leftover chicken limone can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: you can reheat leftovers in a microwave in 30 second increments until it reaches 165°F (74°C) throughout. Cover and rotate the food for even reheating. Since microwaved chicken can have cold spots, it's important to use a food thermometer to check the chicken in several places to ensure it has reached temperature throughout.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition and storage information is estimated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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rd says
I love a good chicken dish, and this recipe does not disappoint. It is full of bright, fresh, lemony goodness. The sauce is delicate and delicious. The chicken comes out tender and juicy, with just the right amount of coating to enhance the flavor. The recipe itself is surprisingly easy! Your guests will think you are a gourmet cook when you put this meal in front of them. If you are looking for a tasty treat for your next chicken dinner, look no further!
Maria D'Errico says
Thank you, I'm glad you love the recipe. "Surprisingly easy" is a great way to describe it!