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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!
Weeknight one pan meals for the win!
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.
Nutrient Density of 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. As a nutritionist, I encourage everyone to keep walnuts as a pantry staple. 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!
Recipe Tips and Adaptations:
- Egg: You can use an whisked egg to help assist the walnuts in sticking. I find that I am usually okay without an egg if I pulse the walnuts to the right texture.
- 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!
Serving
I served this over zucchini noodles, but it’s just as delicious over pasta if you’re not keeping it grain-free. A sprinkle of extra capers and fresh parsley makes it pop, and the whole family gave it a big thumbs up! For sides, I love pairing it with the brightness of Skillet Creamy Lemon Brussels Sprouts, the crisp bite of Roasted Lemon Garlic Broccoli or the comfort of my Crispy Parmesan Sheet Pan Potatoes
for an extra-crispy, cheesy side everyone will love.
Walnut Crusted Lemon Chicken Piccata
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
- Begin by heating up a large skillet to medium high heat.
- While pan is heating, pound chicken breasts so they are about 1/2 inch thick. Season with salt and pepper
- Pulse walnuts in a food processor until it resembles a corse crumbly mixture, place inside a shallow bowl.
- Place seasoned chicken breasts in the walnut coating, getting both sides.
- 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.
- 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).
- 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.
- 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.
Do you have the nutritional fact?
Do you have the nutritional fact?
Could I substitute pecans for the walnuts? I just looked in my pantry and I don’t have a full cup of walnuts.
Yes, definitely! I change up the nuts often 🙂
My walnuts turned black before the chicken was done. I think this takes practice to make sure it’s just the right thickness and heat level.
I had high hopes but basically the walnuts just burned and turned black before the chicken cooked through. Maybe my chicken breasts were too large or the heat too high. Not sure. But I pounded them pretty flat and used medium high heat. Any tips?
It could be a difference in pans. I make this often and don’t have a problem with the burning. I would lower the heat a bit to medium, and transfer to the oven to finish cooking the chicken.
Thanks! And despite the appearance it was still quite tasty and enjoyed by MOST of the family (minus the picky eater who just couldn’t get past the black crust)
First, good luck with your test! Second, I am not a fan of walnuts… (really most nuts) do you have a substitute idea? What do you think about almond flour? I had a nice Chicken Piccata recipe that my husband loves, but alas no flour for Whole 30. Other than that it is W30 friendly. My husband is a creature of habit and so I have tried to stay fairly true to what he likes with ingredient modifications. Thanks for your advice and recipes. They have made this journey much more bearable.
Thank you, you are so sweet! Almond flour would be great, Katie!! And make this recipe even easier. Hope you love it!
Oops figured it out. Can’t wait to try
Can you bake the chicken instead? If so, how long?
Thank you
Hi Abby! Yes you can bake. Depends on the thickness of your chicken, but should take around 22-25 minutes.
One more thing! I rinsed my capers in order to diminish the level of salt and acid. It helped tremendously!
I did it! It tastes so delicious.
One thing though, when I grind my walnut it almost turned into a paste, which I did not think would happen. It was difficult for the grind to stick to the chicken like crumb breads would.
Thanks for this light and delicious meal!
Love it Doris! So glad you enjoyed it ????
Making this tonight.. thanks for posting. Wish it didn’t have the big FB add on it. I had a hard time getting the recipe 🙁
Hope you like it Jen! And you can always X out or close any of the ads.