Quick Chicken Piccata Pasta (Printer version)

Sautéed chicken with lemon and capers, served atop perfectly cooked pasta for a bright, flavorful 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

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti or linguine and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta water.
02 - Slice each chicken breast in half horizontally to create 4 thin cutlets. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge in flour and shake 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 minced garlic for 30 seconds. Deglaze with white wine, scraping up browned bits. Add lemon juice, capers, and chicken broth; simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly reduced.
05 - Lower 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. Stir in reserved pasta water if needed to achieve a silky sauce consistency.
07 - Plate the pasta with chicken on top. Spoon additional sauce over and garnish with chopped parsley and lemon slices.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's done in under 30 minutes, which means weeknight dinner without the takeout guilt.
  • The sauce is so silky and tangy that even people who claim they don't like capers will ask for seconds.
  • You get restaurant-quality brightness from just a lemon and a splash of wine, no fancy ingredients required.
02 -
  • Don't skip slicing the chicken thin—thick cutlets take twice as long and never get as tender.
  • Reserve your pasta water before you drain it; that starchy liquid is liquid gold for adjusting sauce consistency.
  • Taste as you build the sauce and adjust lemon or capers to your preference—some people love extra tang, others prefer it milder.
03 -
  • Don't overcrowd the pan when searing the chicken; give each cutlet room to brown properly, or cook them in two batches if needed.
  • If your sauce breaks or looks separated while whisking in the butter, lower the heat and whisk more slowly—it'll come back together.
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