Slow-Cooker Chicken Piccata

Slow-cooker chicken piccata is a variation on the classic dish that takes less hands-on time to prep. After browning the chicken in a pan to seal in the juices, your slow cooker does the rest of the heavy lifting. The result is tender chicken and a bright, savory piccata sauce made with chicken broth, lemon juice, white wine and capers. Whether you serve it over angel hair pasta or with a fresh green salad, this is a chicken recipe your whole family will love.

What is chicken piccata?

Chicken piccata is an Italian-American dish featuring butterflied or pounded chicken breasts that are pan-fried and topped with a lemon-caper sauce. Here we’ve transformed the classic stovetop recipe into a slow-cooker chicken recipe.

Ingredients for Slow-Cooker Chicken Piccata

• Olive oil: When choosing between regular olive oil and extra virgin olive oil, save the extra virgin stuff for dipping or dressings. Regular olive oil is best for high-heat applications like sauteing meat or vegetables.
• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: You will need about two pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts to make this recipe.
• Seasoning: The chicken is seasoned simply (but generously!) with salt and black pepper.
• Low-sodium chicken broth: Low-sodium chicken broth is the base of the piccata sauce. Use homemade chicken broth or use your favorite brand of chicken broth.
• Lemon juice: Use freshly-squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor.
• White wine: Choose a dry white wine, such as pinot grigio, chardonnay or sauvignon blanc. Although you do not need to use your best white wine, be sure to use one that you would drink on its own. If you prefer to not cook with wine, you can skip this ingredient.
• Garlic: Smashed garlic cloves add their signature pungent flavor to the piccata sauce.
• Capers: Use the smaller nonpareil variety of capers for their dish. These flower buds add a briny, savory and bright flavor to the chicken piccata.
• Cornstarch: Cornstarch is used to thicken the sauce.
• Butter: A bit of butter stirred into the sauce at the end of cooking adds a rich and buttery flavor to the piccata sauce.
• Parsley: Fresh chopped parsley is used to garnish the chicken piccata just before serving.

Directions

Step 1: Prep the chicken

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season both sides of the halved chicken breasts with salt and pepper.

Step 2: Brown the chicken

Transfer the chicken to the skillet and cook it until it’s browned on both sides, two to three minutes per side.

Step 3: Slow-cook the chicken

Add the broth, white wine,  lemon juice, smashed garlic cloves and capers to the bowl of the slow cooker. Then, add the browned chicken. Cook the chicken on low for three to four hours, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the meat registers 165°F.

Editor’s Tip: An instant-read meat thermometer is a cook’s best friend.

Step 4: Thicken the sauce

Transfer the chicken from the slow cooker to a plate and cover it. Increase the slow cooker temperature to high.

Carefully remove 1/2 cup of the broth and stir in the cornstarch until it’s dissolved. Add the mixture to the slow cooker, and stir it. Replace the lid. Cook the chicken and sauce for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until the sauce has slightly thickened. Stir in the butter until it’s melted.

Step 5: Plate and garnish chicken

Transfer the chicken to plates, and pour the sauce on top. Garnish the chicken piccata with fresh chopped parsley.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Piccata Variations

• Serve it over pasta: Serve the chicken on a bed of freshly cooked angel hair pasta or fettuccine.
• Make it creamy: For a creamy piccata sauce, stir in a tablespoon of heavy cream just after thickening it with the cornstarch.
• Add herbs: Add a teaspoon of Italian seasoning or 1/2 teaspoon each of fresh chopped thyme, oregano and parsley to the slow cooker when cooking the chicken.

How to Store ​​Slow-Cooker Chicken Piccata

After allowing the chicken to cool, transfer it with the sauce to an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator.

How long does slow-cooker chicken piccata last?

Leftover slow-cooker chicken piccata lasts up to four days when stored properly in the refrigerator.

How should you reheat slow-cooker chicken piccata?

The easiest way to reheat slow-cooker chicken piccata is in the microwave. Simply transfer it to a microwave-safe dish, cover it, and microwave it in 30-second intervals until it’s heated through.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Piccata Tips

Can you make crockpot chicken piccata with other cuts of chicken?

Although chicken piccata is traditionally made with thin pieces of chicken breast, this slow-cooker version could be made with bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts or thighs to make this recipe.

What should you serve with slow-cooker chicken piccata?

Slow-cooker chicken piccata can be served over pasta or rice instead of pasta. Or serve this bright dish with a hearty Caesar salad or a vegetable side such as roasted asparagus, seasoned green beans or herbed peas. And you’ll definitely want some thick slices of crusty bread or garlic breadsticks to sop up any leftover sauce!