Quick Chicken Piccata Pasta (Printable)

Tender chicken breasts in lemon-caper sauce tossed with pasta for a bright, tangy, and easy meal.

# Ingredient List:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
03 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

→ Sauce

07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 0.5 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
09 - 0.33 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
10 - 0.25 cup capers, drained and rinsed
11 - 0.5 cup low-sodium chicken broth
12 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped

→ Pasta

14 - 12 ounces spaghetti or linguine
15 - Salt for pasta water

→ Garnish (optional)

16 - Lemon slices
17 - Extra chopped parsley

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti or linguine according to package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving half a cup of pasta water.
02 - Slice each chicken breast horizontally to create four thin cutlets. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge in flour and shake off excess.
03 - Heat olive oil and one tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken cutlets and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil.
04 - In the same skillet, sauté garlic for 30 seconds. Deglaze with white wine, scraping up browned bits. Stir in lemon juice, capers, and chicken broth. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly reduced.
05 - Reduce heat and whisk in two tablespoons of butter until melted and glossy. Return chicken to skillet and spoon sauce over cutlets.
06 - Add drained pasta to the skillet and toss gently to coat in the sauce. Add reserved pasta water as needed for a silky texture.
07 - Plate pasta topped with chicken and spoon additional sauce over. Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon slices.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than ordering delivery, but tastes like you actually know what you're doing in the kitchen.
  • The lemon and capers create this addictive sauce that makes people ask for seconds without hesitation.
  • It's elegant enough for company but simple enough that you won't be stressed while cooking.
02 -
  • Don't skip pounding the chicken to even thickness—uneven cutlets will cook inconsistently and ruin the whole dish in seconds flat.
  • Deglaze that pan properly after the chicken is done, scraping up every golden bit; that's where all the deep savory flavor lives.
  • The pasta water is your secret weapon for fixing a sauce that's too thick, so always reserve some before draining.
03 -
  • Cook your pasta one minute under al dente so it finishes perfectly in the pan with the sauce instead of becoming mushy.
  • Cold butter whisked in at the end creates a silky, professional-looking sauce that tastes like you've been doing this forever.
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