GLUTEN-FREE DAIRY-FREE CHICKEN PICCATA
on Jan 26, 2024, Updated Sep 27, 2024
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Tender chicken breasts are lightly seared and served over a dreamy vegan lemon sauce with capers.
If you’re looking for a simple, but elevated dinner for date night-in, you’re in the right place. Since my husband Kyle and I work together, we know it’s important to carve out some time just for us each week.
While we love going out and trying new restaurants, some weekends we’re just as content with a homemade meal. This Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Chicken Piccata checks off all the boxes in terms of being kinda fancy, but still incredibly simple and absolutely delicious.
Chicken piccata is a classic recipe that typically starts by breading chicken cutlets in flour before being fried off in a pan. It’s served in a lemon, butter, and parmesan sauce.
Now, I knew that I could take this classic dish and make it suitable for all of my fellow gluten-free and dairy-free friends.
I’ve swapped regular white flour for gluten-free flour and used coconut cream instead of butter to get that same rich flavor for the sauce. Nutritional yeast is substituted for the parmesan cheese, giving it all that cheesiness minus the dairy.
Give this healthier chicken piccata recipe a try for your next date night or really any night of the week. No matter who you serve it to, I know they’ll be impressed. Cheers!
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Key Ingredients for Healthier Chicken Piccata
It may look like a lot of ingredients, but I promise this dish is straightforward and only requires one pan. Here’s what you’ll need.
- Chicken: For this recipe, I cut two large chicken breasts in half to get four cutlets. Some grocery stores may also carry chicken cutlets. If you’d rather use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, be my guest.
- Gluten-Free Flour: Any gluten-free flour blend will do, such as @bobsredmill or @kingarthurbaking.
- Avocado Oil: I like cooking the chicken in this type of oil because it has a higher cooking point. Olive oil is used in the sauce to saute the shallots and garlic.
- Chicken Broth: This helps pick up all the tasty flavors from the seared chicken and is the base of the sauce.
Pin this recipe for later!
Pin It- Lemon: A key ingredient to any piccata recipe, lemon juice adds brightness to the sauce while lemon slices just make the dish extra pretty and fresh.
- Coconut Cream: Scoop off the top layer of a can of chilled full-fat coconut milk and you’ll have coconut cream.
- Capers: Briny, salt, and delicious little bites.
- Nutritional Yeast: The perfect vegan substitute for parmesan cheese. Nutritional yeast is backed with B12, so it is an added nutritional boost too!
- Gluten-Free Pasta: My serving method of choice is over a bowl of pasta, such as @pasta_rummo gluten-free spaghetti. You could also serve it with dairy-free mashed potatoes or a side of roasted veggies for a lighter meal.
How to Make Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Chicken Piccata
To start, generously season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
On a plate or low bowl, scatter the gluten-free flour. Dredge each chicken cutlet with the flour until they’re evenly coated. Shake off any excess.
In a large skillet, heat a few tablespoons of avocado oil over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken on both sides for 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. You may need to repeat this step and work in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
Transfer the seared chicken to a clean plate.
Take a paper towel and wipe down the skillet, removing any charred bits. Reduce the heat to medium.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add the shallot, sauteing for 2 to 3 minutes until translucent. Add in the minced garlic and cook for another minute. Keep a close eye on the garlic as it can easily burn (reduce the pan heat, if necessary).
Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, coconut cream, capers, nutritional yeast, and salt. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
Return the seared chicken to the pan along with the lemon slices and gently simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Baste the chicken with the sauce using a spoon.
Serve over your favorite gluten-free pasta with fresh chopped parsley and enjoy!
Substitution Suggestions for Chicken Piccata
Yes, you’re just looking for the chicken cutlets to have a nice little crust on them. Cornstarch would be fine.
You can use coconut milk or heavy cream if you’re not dairy-free.
The nutritional yeast just adds a subtle cheesy flavor to the dish, but you can totally omit it. Or, if you’re not dairy-free, swap in Parmesan cheese.
Other Chicken Breast Recipes:
- Dairy-Free Creamy Lemon Pepper Chicken
- “Lazy Girl” Chicken Breasts
- Dairy-Free Marry Me Chicken
- Crockpot Hot Honey Chicken Bowls
GLUTEN-FREE DAIRY-FREE CHICKEN PICCATA
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts, cut horizontally into 2 cutlets each
- Salt and pepper to season the chicken
- 1 cup gluten-free flour
- Avocado oil for frying
- 1 shallot, minced
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup lemon juice + 4 to 5 lemon slices
- ¼ cup coconut cream
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt
For Serving:
- Prepared gluten-free pasta
- Fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Scatter the flour on a plate or low bowl and dredge each chicken cutlet with flour until evenly coated. Shake off any excess.
- Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high and sear the chicken on both sides for about 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly golden, working in batches to not overcrowd the pan.
- Transfer the chicken to a clean plate.
- Wipe down your skillet (doesn’t need to be spotless, you just want to remove any charred bits) and reduce the heat to medium.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add the shallot, sautéing for 2 to 3 minutes until translucent, then add the garlic and cook for another minute, being careful not to burn the garlic (reduce the heat if necessary).
- Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, coconut cream, capers, nutritional yeast, and salt, stirring to combine, and bring to a simmer.
- Return your seared chicken to the pan along with the lemon slices and simmer gently for 8-10 minutes, occasionally basting the chicken in the sauce.
- Serve over gluten-free pasta with fresh parsley and ENJOY!
Loved this recipe! Minimal ingredients and time needed, but so much flavor! Perfect weeknight meal