Lemon caper sauce (aka piccata sauce) is a 10 minute Mediterranean sauce for chicken cutlets, seafood, pasta, or veggies ~ it’s so good I could eat it with a spoon!

lemon caper sauce aka piccata sauce
Lemon caper sauce is a very simple, classic pan sauce that comes to us from Italy ~ it’s a recipe you’ll want to use over and over again.
Piccata started out as a favorite Italian dish of veal that’s pounded thin and served in a sauce of lemon juice, butter, parsley, and capers. The buttery lemon caper sauce that accompanies piccata is a defining feature of the dish and so delicious it’s been coopted for lots of other uses. Italian immigrants to the US substituted chicken cutlets for veal, which is now the way most Americans know piccata. I especially love it with seafood of all kinds.
related: shrimp piccata
lemon caper sauce ingredients
This 6 ingredient list is pretty much the same across most lemon caper sauce recipes. The flavors here are simple but powerful.
- butter
- garlic
- lemon juice
- capers
- Capers have a distinct acidic salty, briny flavor that complements the delicate flavors of seafood, chicken,ย and other meats.
- parsley
- don’t underestimate this common herb, parsley definitely does have a fresh flavor!
- salt
what are capers, anyway?
Capers are little unopened flower buds of the caper bush, which is native to the Mediterranean region. They’re usually picked by hand, sun-dried, and then pickled in vinegar, brine, or salt.ย They’re a fairly unique ingredient, and the nearest substitute I can think of would be green olives.
simple process for making lemon piccata sauce
- Gently melt butter over low heat in a small skillet.
- Add garlic and simmer very gently for a minute or so, stirring constantly.
- Whisk in the lemon juice and capers and let the sauce gently simmer for another minute or so.
- Add parsley, and taste to season with salt and adjust the lemon, if necessary.
process for making a creamy lemon caper sauce
Creamy lemon caper sauce is sauce that has been emulsified and will have a pale yellow opaque appearance. I tested lemon caper sauce both ways and I happen to love the creamy result. The creamy version has the same exact ingredients and the same flavor, but with an appealing creamy texture due to a slight change in the process.
- Gently melt butter over low heat in a small skillet.
- Add garlic and simmer very gently for a minute or so, stirring constantly.
- Transfer to a jar and stir in the lemon juice.
- Use an immersion blender to emulsify the mixture.
- Add the capers and parsley and season to taste with salt.
variations on your sauce
Sure this is a classic recipe with lots of tradition behind it, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get creative with it.
USE CHIVES TARRAGON, OR THYME instead of parsley.
CUT THE BUTTER IN HALF and replace with white wine for a lighter sauce.
USE SHALLOTS instead of garlic for a less pungent sauce, or use both.
SUB CHOPPED GREEN OLIVES for the capers.
MAKE A VEGAN LEMON CAPER SAUCE using extra virgin olive oil instead of butter.
SPICE IT UP with a few red pepper flakes.
ADD A TOUCH OF HEAVY CREAM for a creamy sauce.
ADD MUSHROOMS OR ARTICHOKES for a heartier sauce.
how I use lemon caper sauce
This is a super handy sauce because there are so few ingredients and it’s so quick to make. If chicken or shrimp or cod is on sale at the supermarket, you’ll have a quick meal ready to go. We eat a lot of fish and this is one of our go-to sauces. It’s company-worthy, too!
- fish like cod, salmon, trout, halibut or tilapia.
- shellfish like shrimp, scallops, clams or mussels.
- chicken cutlets
- baked potatoes
Lemon Caper Sauce
Equipment
- small skillet
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup salted butter, cut in pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice, fresh squeezed
- 4 Tbsp capers, drained
- 2 Tbsp parsley, finely minced
- sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Melt the butter over low heat in a small skillet.
- Add the garlic and sautรฉ gently for a minute. You don't want to brown the garlic, you are merely infusing the flavor into the butter and taking the raw edge off.
- Whisk in the lemon juice and capers and let the sauce gently simmer for another minute or so.
- Add the parsley and season with salt if needed.
for creamy lemon caper sauce
- Melt the butter over low heat in a small skillet.
- Add the garlic and sautรฉ gently for a minute. You don't want to brown the garlic, you are merely infusing the flavor into the butter and taking the raw edge off.
- Transfer to a jar and stir in the lemon juice.
- Use an immersion blender to emulsify the mixture.
- Add the capers and parsley and taste to season with salt.
Iโm a chef this is an easy go to for chicken fish and vegetables
I make chicken (sometimes I sub fish) piccata often because itโs a family favorite. Last night everyone at the dinner table said it was the best everโฆ and they were right! Besides the fact that this sauce recipe is quick and easy, itโs delicious! A perfect balance of all those flavors that make a piccata special. Thank you for another great recipe,
You’re so welcome, glad it was a family hit!