Keto Chicken Piccata is a low carb, zesty dish with tons of flavor and is super simple to make. Juicy chicken breaded in a parmesan breading and cooked to perfection! Tangy lemon juice and white wine give you a delicious gourmet experience in your own home. This easy chicken recipe is also gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, and Trim Healthy Mama friendly.
Excellent news! I am finally sharing my homemade keto chicken piccata recipe with you. It’s been a long time coming, and I know you are going to be so glad I'm sharing one of my family's favorite chicken dishes. It’s just so flavorful and simple to make, and even the kids will eat it!
A traditional lemon chicken piccata is typically made with flour, but I don’t do that so it can stay low carb. Besides that, I think that traditional methods with flour are boring compared to the flavor you get with my incredible breading. It blows it out of the water and adds so much flavor to the dish.
What Ingredients Do You Need To Make Chicken Piccata?
- Chicken - I use chicken breasts and then slice them thin. I get 3 pieces from most chicken breasts. Alternatively, you can buy thin-sliced chicken breasts or use chicken tenderloins.
- Parmesan Cheese - Any variety of grated cheese is fine, even the kind in the shaker can.
- Whey Protein Powder - This is the most important ingredient! It is what makes the breading get so brown and crisp.
- Garlic Powder - I use regular garlic powder in this but I also love roasted garlic powder.
- Salt - I use fine ground sea salt.
- Avocado Oil - Or any other mild-flavored oil.
- White Wine - Any dry white wine works. If you prefer you can use white cooking wine.
- Chicken Stock - I make my own broth using my Chicken Bouillion Powder.
- Lemon Juice - For this recipe, I do prefer freshly squeezed lemon juice but bottled can work in a pinch.
- Xanthan Gum - This is the thickening agent in the sauce. You can sub in glucomannan if you prefer.
There are a lot of keto breaded chicken dishes that are made with almond flour. For a true crispy breading I really prefer this combo of protein powder and grated cheese.
How to Make Keto Chicken Piccata
First Step: Mix the parmesan cheese, whey protein powder, garlic, and salt in a shallow dish.
Second Step: Heat a large skillet using medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of avocado oil to the pan. Add one piece of chicken at a time to the breading and coat both sides. Place in the hot skillet and keep repeating until the pan is full.
Third Step: Cook each piece of chicken for 3-4 minutes per side or until the breading is browned and the chicken is done cooking. Work in batches until all the chicken has been cooked. Put the chicken on a platter until all the chicken is done.
Fourth Step: After you have removed the chicken from the pan, pour in the wine, and deglaze the pan. You’ll need to gently scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Cook the wine for 2 minutes and pour in the broth and lemon juice. Sprinkle the xanthan gum on the top of the sauce. Stir with a whisk and season with salt and pepper. The sauce will thicken slightly from the xanthan gum. Drizzle the sauce over the chicken and enjoy hot!
Doesn’t Piccata Have Capers?
Yes, traditionally it does, and you can absolutely add capers to this keto chicken piccata. I don’t normally add them because the kids don’t really like them, so my compromise is leaving them off. However, they are bursting with flavor and will enhance the dish even more. I recommend adding 1-3 teaspoons of baby capers to the sauce if you would like to add them.
What Goes Good With Chicken Piccata?
Depending on our moods, sometimes we will just add a fresh garden salad, and other times we serve it with several sides. Here are some flavorful ideas to try:
- Cauliflower Rice - I serve this most often on a bed of cauli-rice to soak up the delicious white wine lemon sauce!
- Mashed Cauliflower - You already know how much we love mashed cauliflower. It goes with everything, including this keto lemon piccata.
- Salad - You can opt for a low-key salad or go for something with all the fixings like my Keto Antipasto Salad. It’s all great!
- Roasted Veggies - Any of your favorite roasted veggies are sure to be a hit with this chicken piccata. We love Oven-Roasted Green Beans and Roasted Brussels Sprouts a ton with this meal.
- Bread - Eat your favorite low carb bread and dip it into the sauce. It’s insanely good! Try my Keto Garlic Bread if you are looking for inspiration.
Tips for Breading and Cooking Chicken
I wanted to share a few tips with you to help you along the way. They are helpful and will allow you to have the best experience making keto chicken piccata.
- Do not cook the chicken too long. Once it reaches 158-159 degrees F., you can remove it from the pan, and it will finish heating up as it rests.
- Make sure that the chicken is cut around the same size for each piece. It will cook more evenly, and you won’t have to worry about a dry piece or underdone piece.
- Don’t put too much chicken in the pan at once. Work in batches, so you don’t have to worry about overcrowding the chicken.
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Ingredients
- 3 lb chicken cut into thin cutlets
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup whey protein powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ cup avocado oil divided
- ½ cup white wine
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp xanthan gum
Instructions
- Combine the parmesan cheese, protein powder, garlic, and salt in a large shallow dish.
- Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pour one tablespoon oil into the pan.
- Place one piece of chicken in the breading mixture and flip to coat. Transfer to the hot pan. Repeat until the pan is full.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until the breading is browned and the chicken is fully cooked. Transfer to an oven-safe serving platter and place it in a warm oven. Repeat with the remaining chicken. This will take 4-5 batches. Add more oil to the pan as necessary.
- Once all the chicken is cooked pour the wine into the hot pan to deglaze it. Gently scrape any browned bits off the bottom. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the broth and lemon juice. Sprinkle the xanthan gum on top to thicken the sauce. Whisk well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the sauce over the cooked chicken.
Notes
Nutrition
Looking for more low carb gluten free keto chicken recipes? Try these family friendly recipes out:
- Low Carb Chicken Pot Pie
- Chicken Saltimbocca
- Instant Pot Barbecue Chicken
- Mexican Chicken Casserole
- Spinach & Artichoke Chicken Casserole
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Marcie says
Great recipe! The sauce is delicious!!
Tracey says
I'd like to know if I can use any type of protein powder. If anyone has tried will you let me know?
Thanks!
Taryn says
Any plain unflavored whey protein powder should work. I think an eggwhite protein powder would also work but haven't tested that.
Paige says
I made this tonight for my family and it browned beautifully. Everyone loved it! The only tweaks I made was to add a couple of tablespoons of butter and a little bit of heavy cream. Next time I will triple the sauce (my kids loved it on their side of pasta but needed more!)
Diana says
What a clever idea to use the protein powder in the breading! I love this keto version. Unfortunately we have a couple dairy allergies in the family. Have you tried it with any other protein powders? Wondering if there's a way I can make it for the whole family to enjoy.
Meagen says
Such an easy recipe and I love that everyone can enjoy it but it's keto so I don't have to cook two different versions of dinner!