Quick Chicken Piccata Pasta (Printer View)

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

# What you'll need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - ½ teaspoon salt
03 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
04 - ½ cup all-purpose flour
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

→ Sauce

07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - ½ cup dry white wine or chicken broth
09 - ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
10 - ¼ cup capers, drained and rinsed
11 - ½ 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

# Method:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti or linguine according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta water.
02 - Slice each chicken breast horizontally to create 4 thin cutlets. Season both sides with salt and pepper, then dredge lightly in flour, shaking off excess.
03 - Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken cutlets 3–4 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 2–3 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, tossing gently to coat. Stir in reserved pasta water if needed to achieve a silky sauce consistency.
07 - Plate pasta topped with chicken cutlets. Spoon extra sauce over and garnish with parsley and lemon slices.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • This comes together faster than takeout, but tastes like you spent your whole evening in the kitchen.
  • The sauce is so silky and flavorful that even people who claim they don't like capers will ask for seconds.
  • It's elegant enough for dinner guests but easy enough that you won't stress about the execution.
  • One skillet, minimal cleanup, and your weeknight suddenly feels a bit more special.
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of reserving pasta water—that starchy liquid is what transforms a good sauce into a silky one that actually clings to the noodles instead of pooling at the bottom of the pan.
  • Taste your lemon juice before you add it; old lemons taste harsh and metallic, and fresh ones are the difference between a bright, refreshing dish and one that tastes like you're eating soap.
  • Cook your chicken to just cooked through, not beyond—even a minute too long in the pan after that first sear will dry it out, which is why tenting it with foil while you make the sauce matters.
03 -
  • Have all your ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking—this dish moves fast, and there's no time to mince garlic or juice lemons once the pan is hot.
  • Keep your pasta water close; adding it gradually gives you control over the sauce consistency and helps emulsify the butter into something silky instead of separated.
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