Paleo Chicken Piccata (keto, low carb, Whole30)

Whole30 chicken piccata on a long white platter with lemon slices.

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Paleo Chicken Piccata (keto, low carb, Whole30)

This easy Paleo Chicken Piccata is a healthy, low carb weeknight dinner! Juicy chicken is coated in a buttery, garlicky lemon and caper sauce - all made in one pan! Plus it's gluten-free, keto and Whole30 friendly!

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: servings

Calories: 376kcal

Author: Don Baiocchi

Ingredients

1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 tablespoons ghee, divided
5 tablespoons arrowroot flour/starch (or tapioca flour/starch, or cassava flour)
1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more if necessary
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more if necessary
2 large cloves peeled, minced garlic
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
⅓ cup lemon juice
¼ cup capers, drained
chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Lay the chicken breasts on a cutting board. Hold a chef's knife parallel to the cutting board and, with your other hand gently holding the top of the breast in place, slice through the breast to create two cutlets. Pat the cutlets dry with paper towels.
Add 3 tablespoons ghee to a large skillet and place over medium-high heat.
Add the arrowroot to a pie pan or other dish. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
Once the ghee is melted and rippling across the pan, dip one cutlet in the arrowroot. Make sure both sides get evenly coated. Shake off any excess coating and add the cutlet to the pan. Repeat with the remaining cutlets.
Cook on each side for 2-4 minutes, depending on their thickness. You're not looking for a dark golden brown color here - they might be lightly golden at most. They also might not be fully cooked but that's okay, they'll finish cooking later.
Remove the chicken to a dinner plate and set aside.
Add the minced garlic to the pan and sauté for 30-60 seconds, stirring frequently, until golden brown.
Add the broth, juice and capers. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium so it simmers. Scrape up any brown bits from the pan into the sauce.
Add the chicken and any juices on the plate back to the pan. Coat the cutlets in the sauce by either flipping them in the sauce or spooning the sauce over the top.
Cook the chicken for about 5 minutes, until the sauce has reduced and the chicken is cooked completely (about 165°). Remove the chicken to a serving platter.
Add one more tablespoon ghee to the sauce and whisk it in until fully blended. Again, scrape up any brown bits on the pan into the sauce. Taste the sauce and add more salt, if necessary.
Pour the sauce over the chicken, sprinkle over chopped fresh parsley and more black pepper, if desired, and serve!

Notes

What do you serve with Paleo Chicken Piccata?

I love this with anything that can soak up the sauce: cauliflower rice, parsnip rice, mashed potatoes, etc. And then I add a green veggie like cooked broccoli or kale for some color.

Can I make this ahead of time?

You can cook the chicken breasts, remove them to a plate, then cook the garlic, broth, juice and capers per the instructions. Pack up the chicken and sauce separately. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

When ready to eat, bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat. Add the chicken to the pan and proceed with the recipe, making sure to cook the cutlets to 165°.

Can I freeze the recipe?

The chicken and sauce can be stored together in an airtight container or baggie in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat over medium heat.

Can I make substitutions?

The arrowroot substitutions are mentioned above in the ingredients section.

I wouldn't use anything other than boneless chicken breasts/cutlets - anything else would need a different amount of time to cook and throw everything off.

You can omit the garlic if you like. Instead, whisk 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder into the broth and/or lemon juice (or omit entirely).

To make it spicy, add red pepper flakes to the pan with the garlic.

Nutrition