Quick Chicken Piccata Pasta (Printable)

Tender chicken sautéed with lemon and capers, tossed with al dente pasta for a bright, tangy meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

→ Sauce

07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
09 - 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
10 - 1/4 cup capers, drained and rinsed
11 - 1/2 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

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti or linguine according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
02 - Slice each chicken breast horizontally to create 4 thin cutlets. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge in flour, shaking off excess.
03 - Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken cutlets 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil.
04 - In the same skillet, sauté garlic for 30 seconds. Deglaze with white wine, scraping up browned bits. Add lemon juice, capers, and chicken broth; simmer 2 to 3 minutes until slightly reduced.
05 - Reduce heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons butter until melted and sauce is glossy. Return chicken to the skillet and spoon sauce over cutlets.
06 - Add drained pasta to the skillet and toss gently to coat, adding reserved pasta water as needed for a silky sauce.
07 - Plate pasta topped with chicken cutlets. Spoon additional sauce over and garnish with parsley and lemon slices.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Ready in thirty minutes but tastes like you've been simmering it all afternoon.
  • The bright, tangy sauce makes even plain chicken breasts taste restaurant-quality.
  • It's the kind of dish that looks fancy enough to serve guests but easy enough for a solo weeknight dinner.
  • Everything happens in one skillet, which means minimal cleanup when you're already tired.
02 -
  • Pound or slice your chicken thin—this is not optional if you want it to cook through without drying out.
  • Don't skip rinsing the capers unless you actually want the dish to be too salty.
  • Reserve pasta water before draining; this starchy liquid is what transforms a sauce from good to silky.
  • Taste the sauce before plating and adjust with extra lemon juice or salt—it should make you pause for a second because it's so bright.
03 -
  • Pat your chicken completely dry before cooking—moisture is the enemy of that perfect golden crust.
  • Don't crowd the pan when cooking chicken; if both cutlets don't fit comfortably with space between them, cook them one at a time.
  • Use real Dijon mustard on the side if you want to add another layer of tang without changing the core recipe.
  • A crisp white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio is the perfect pairing—it echoes the lemon and capers in the dish.
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