Walnut Crusted Lemon Chicken Piccata

A healthy twist on the classic Italian dish Chicken Piccata using walnuts as a grain-free option. This Walnut Crusted Lemon Chicken Piccata makes a fantastic, weeknight, one pan meal, or is fancy enough to serve to guests on a weekend! Paleo, Whole30, and Keto friendly!

Oh hey guys, just another 20 minute meal for you all to enjoy on a busy weeknight. 20 minutes is about all the time I have during the week to make dinner………you too?? Well, you’ve come to the right recipe. I am so ecstatically happy on how delicious this recipe turned out. Simple ingredients, so much flavor, and full of healthy goodness!

I have enjoyed a few different variations of chicken piccata, but I love this Gluten-Free and Paleo option. The addition of California Walnuts was absolutely perfect; it gave this dish just the right amount of texture and flavor.

Why Walnuts?

Can we just talk about how awesome walnuts are? I love to snack on a variety of nuts, but walnuts really are superior when it comes to nutrition. They are the ONLY nut that provides a significant amount Omega-3 fatty acids, an essential nutrient that is severely lacking in the Standard American diet. I love that walnuts are so versatile and can add that perfect crunch and taste to any sweet or savory dish.

How to make Walnut Crusted Lemon Chicken Piccata:

We start off by gathering simple ingredients to make this dish: Chicken, walnuts, capers, lemons, chicken broth, parsley, garlic, and some arrowroot to thicken.

For this chicken piccata, the walnuts were easily broken down in a food processor to create a crumbly mixture that makes an easy replacement for bread crumbs! I coated each piece of chicken with a healthy amount of pulsed walnuts.

Once the chicken breasts were covered, I heated up a pan and added olive oil. I cooked the chicken breasts for only 3 minutes per side until they were seared nicely, and removed them to a plate.

I scraped up the bits of leftover walnuts, and created a drool-worthy sauce with fresh garlic, chicken broth, lemon juice, and capers. This will only take a few more minutes. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve!

I served over zucchini noodles, but pasta is also an option if not following a grain-free diet. Top with extra capers, fresh parsley and serve warm. SOOOOOOO delicious! This received a big thumbs up from the whole family. This also pairs well with my Skillet Creamy Lemon Brussels Sprouts or Roasted Lemon Garlic Broccoli for a simple dinner.

Recipe Adaptations/Swaps:

Walnuts: Can you use a different type of nut? Absolutely! Pecans, almonds, or even pistachios work well in this recipe

Chicken Broth: If not following a strict Whole30 diet, a dry white wine (like a chardonnay), also elevates this meal a few notches. I love it!

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Walnut Crusted Lemon Chicken Piccata

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 4

Author Amy Rains

4.88 from 8 votes

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Ingredients

• 4 medium sized chicken breasts
• 1 cup walnuts
• Salt and Pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 2 lemons
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tbsp drained capers
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tsp arrowroot starch optional
• 1 tbsp water

Instructions

1. Begin by heating up a large skillet to medium high heat.
2. While pan is heating, pound chicken breasts so they are about 1/2 inch thick. Season with salt and pepper
3. Pulse walnuts in a food processor until it resembles a corse crumbly mixture, place inside a shallow bowl.
4. Place seasoned chicken breasts in the walnut coating, getting both sides.

5. Add 2 tbsp olive oil to the skillet, and all the chicken breasts into the pan. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook for approximately 2-3 minutes per side. Outside should be golden and crispy, and the inside should be cooked through. If your pan is too hot, remove from heat to prevent burning the walnuts. DO NOT OVERCOOK!! Remove to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

6. Juice one of the lemons, and slice the other for serving (or juice it for the sauce if you want it EXTRA lemon-y, adjust to your taste).
7. Now make the lemon sauce: add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil (may need an extra tbsp), and scrape up any of the brown bits on the pan. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add lemon juice, chicken broth, and capers while you continue to scrape around the pan. Sauce should bubble and begin to thicken after 2-3 minutes. If you would like the sauce to be thicker, you can always add 2 tsp arrowroot starch with 1tbsp water and mix into the sauce.
8. Pour sauce over chicken and serve immediately with lemon slices and chopped parsley.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.