Crock Pot Chicken Piccata

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This easy Crock Pot Chicken Piccata is a delicious twist on the classic Italian-inspired dish! Tender chicken breasts slowly cook in a bright, lemony sauce with garlic, Dijon mustard, butter, and briny capers. The finished chicken is served over angel hair pasta with plenty of that delicious lemon butter sauce spooned over the top.

If you love classic chicken piccata but want an easier way to make it, this slow cooker version is perfect for a busy weeknight dinner.

I promise this recipe will not let you down! (If you love piccata, that is) The chicken is absolutely bursting with lemon flavor and is so juicy, it melts in your mouth. The tenderness of the chicken is mostly due to cooking it low and slow in the crock pot, but coating the chicken in flour and searing it before adding it into the crock pot is such a game changer.

I know the extra step and extra dirty pan of dredging the chicken and searing it is annoying; but I the effort is so worth it! You’ll have to just trust me on that, because I don’t make extra work or dishes for myself unless it will be worth it.

Why You’ll Love Crock Pot Chicken Piccata

There’s something so good about the combination of lemon, butter, garlic, and capers. The flavors are bright and savory without being heavy, and the slow cooker does most of the work.

A quick sear gives the chicken a beautiful golden-brown exterior before it goes into the crock pot. Then it cooks gently in the flavorful lemon chicken broth until tender.

Serve it over angel hair pasta, and you have an easy dinner that feels special enough for company but is simple enough for a weeknight.

Love lemony recipes? You’ve got to try my Crock Pot Lemony Chicken Orzo Soup, One Pan Chicken Piccata Orzo, this Creamy Lemon Pasta or Sheet Pan Lemon Butter Shrimp with asparagus. Yum!

Ingredients

Slow Cooker-6 quarts or larger. I’m using this one from the Crock Pot brand. It’s 7 quarts and is my go-to slow cooker.

For the Chicken Piccata

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups chicken broth
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• ¼ cup butter, sliced
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup capers, drained

For Thickening the Sauce

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons water

For Serving

• Cooked angel hair pasta

How to Make Crock Pot Chicken Piccata

1. Season and flour the chicken

Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and black pepper.

Place the flour in a shallow dish and coat both sides of each chicken breast with flour. Shake off any excess flour.

2. Quickly sear the chicken

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the floured chicken breasts and sear for about 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown. The chicken does not need to be cooked through at this point.

Transfer the chicken to the crock pot.

3. Make the lemon piccata sauce

In a bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and minced garlic.

Pour the mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker.

Add the drained capers.

Place the slices of butter and lemon slices over the top of the chicken.

4. Slow cook

Cover and cook on LOW for 4–5 hours, or until the chicken is tender and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

Cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of your chicken breasts, so start checking toward the lower end of the cooking time.

5. Thicken the sauce

Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the crock pot and set it aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water to make a slurry.

Pour the slurry into the cooking liquid and whisk well.

Return the chicken to the crock pot and cook for about 10 more minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.

6. Serve

Cook the angel hair pasta according to the package directions and drain.

Place the pasta on plates or in shallow bowls and top with a chicken breast.

Ladle plenty of the warm lemon piccata sauce over the chicken and pasta.

Garnish with additional lemon slices and capers if desired. Oh, it’s so good! I’m salivating uploading these pictures. 🤤

Tips for the Best Crock Pot Chicken Piccata

Use fresh lemon juice. Freshly squeezed lemon juice gives this sauce a much brighter flavor than bottled lemon juice.

Don’t skip the quick sear. While you can technically put the chicken directly into the slow cooker, searing it first adds color and extra flavor to the finished dish.

Use thin chicken breasts when possible. If your chicken breasts are very thick, you can butterfly them or gently pound them to an even thickness. This helps them cook more evenly.

Don’t add the cornstarch slurry at the beginning. Cornstarch is best added near the end of cooking so it can thicken the sauce without breaking down during the long cooking time.

Cook the pasta separately. I recommend cooking the angel hair right before serving rather than adding it to the crock pot. Pasta can become mushy when cooked for several hours in a slow cooker.

Taste the sauce before serving. Capers add a salty, briny flavor, so you may not need additional salt in the finished sauce.

Can I Skip Searing the Chicken?

Yes. If you’re short on time, you can add the seasoned and floured chicken directly to the crock pot.

However, I recommend taking the few extra minutes to sear it first. The golden-brown crust adds wonderful flavor and makes the finished dish feel more like traditional chicken piccata.

Can I Use Chicken Thighs?

Absolutely! Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work well in this recipe and will give you especially tender chicken.

Keep in mind that thighs may have a slightly different cooking time than chicken breasts, so cook until they reach a safe internal temperature of 165°F.

What Can I Serve With Chicken Piccata?

Because this recipe is served over angel hair pasta, you already have a complete meal. If you’d like to add a side, try:

• Steamed broccoli
• Green beans
• Roasted asparagus
• A simple green salad
• Garlic bread
• Crusty Italian bread

The bread is especially good for soaking up the extra lemon butter sauce!

Can I Make Chicken Piccata Without Capers?

Yes. Capers are a traditional ingredient in chicken piccata and add a salty, briny flavor, but you can leave them out if your family doesn’t like them.

If you omit the capers, taste the sauce before serving and adjust the salt as needed.

How to Store Leftover Chicken Piccata

Store leftover chicken and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.

For the best texture, store the pasta separately if possible.

Reheat the chicken and sauce gently in the microwave or in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add a splash of chicken broth if the sauce has thickened too much.

Can I Freeze Chicken Piccata?

Yes, the cooked chicken and sauce can be frozen in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.

I recommend freezing the chicken and sauce separately from the pasta. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently.

Freshly cooked angel hair pasta will have a much better texture than pasta that has been frozen and reheated.

Crock Pot Chicken Piccata FAQs

Can I use bottled lemon juice?

You can, but fresh lemon juice is strongly recommended. It gives the piccata sauce a fresher, brighter flavor.

Why is my piccata sauce too tart?

The amount of lemon juice gives this dish its signature bright flavor, but if it tastes too tart to you, add a little more butter or chicken broth to mellow the sauce.

Can I make this recipe gluten-free?

Yes. Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend in place of regular flour, and make sure your chicken broth and other ingredients are certified gluten-free if necessary.

What kind of pasta is best with chicken piccata?

Angel hair is my favorite because the thin noodles are perfect for catching the lemon butter sauce. Spaghetti, linguine, or another pasta can also be used.

More Easy Crock Pot Chicken Recipes

If you love easy slow cooker chicken dinners, try:

• Spinach Artichoke Chicken
• Mardi Gras Whole Chicken
• Chicken Enchilada Soup
• Chicken Ramen
• Chicken Parmesan Soup
• Crock Pot Honey Mustard Chicken
• Crock Pot Chicken & Stuffing with Green Beans

Video How To Make Crock Pot Chicken Piccata