If there's one dinner that never disappoints, it's chicken piccata pasta. Juicy, golden-brown chicken is tossed in a buttery lemon caper sauce and twirled with tender spaghetti for the kind of meal that feels restaurant-worthy but comes together in just 30 minutes. Bright, briny, and full of flavor, this is the perfect weeknight dinner when you want something special without any fuss.
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At Real Food with Sarah, I'm all about easy, flavorful meals that make dinnertime feel effortless. This chicken piccata recipe proves that simple ingredients, lemon, butter, capers, and a little love, can create something truly delicious. If you enjoy Italian-inspired dishes, try my chicken marsala with fettuccine next!
Key Ingredients
- Spaghetti. You can use your favorite pasta. Try angel hair pasta, penne, or fusilli.
- Chicken Breasts. I typically buy thinly sliced chicken breasts, or you can pound them yourself.
- Garlic. I recommend using fresh garlic for this lemon chicken piccata. Don't substitute with garlic powder.
- Shallot. You can use a yellow onion if it's all you have, but I recommend a shallot for its mild and sweet flavor.
- Lemon. Fresh lemon juice squeezed right from a large lemon and you'll also need the zest.
- Capers. Salty capers are the star of the show, so don't skip out on them. They have a high flavor profile and are salty, so you only need a couple of tablespoons. If you are a fan of capers, try my spicy Italian puttanesca next!
See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Add veggies. Toss in vegetables like grape tomatoes, spinach, or asparagus for extra color and flavor. They pair great with the lemon-caper sauce.
- Make it creamy. Stir a few tablespoons of heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk into the sauce during Step 4 for a rich sauce.
- Love these bright, zesty flavors? You'll also enjoy my Chicken Piccata Meatballs, which turn the same lemon-butter sauce into a cozy meatball dinner.
Instructions
Step 1: Cook pasta according to the package instructions. Add the flour to a bowl, season chicken with salt and pepper and then dip into the flour and coat on all sides. Shake off excess flour.
Step 2: Heat butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, turn heat down to medium and add the chicken. Cook for 3-4 minutes, flip and cook on the other side for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pan, let rest for a few minutes and cut into slices.
Step 3: Add the shallot to the pan, stir, and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the salt and garlic.
Step 4: Pour in the fresh lemon juice and another tablespoon of butter, lemon zest and chicken broth. Be sure to scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan.
Step 5: Reduce the sauce for about 4 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add in more pepper, 2 more tablespoons of butter and the capers.
Step 6: Turn off the heat, add the chicken back in and spoon the sauce over the chicken. Serve over pasta and enjoy!
Sarah's Top Tips
- Opt for thinly sliced chicken breasts when at the store to avoid the hassle of pounding the chicken.
- Use high-quality butter. I've been getting mine from the farmer's market but in the winter, I love Kerrygold or any European butter.
- Add butter at the end. Adding 2 tablespoons of butter to the sauce at the end is a technique that chefs use called "monter au beurre". This creates a smooth and buttery finish.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this zesty pasta dish on busy weeknights and for dinner parties. This is a great recipe to feed a crowd. I always serve it with fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese.
Serve with my Mediterranean roasted vegetables instead of pasta for a lighter meal or over creamy Yukon Gold mashed potatoes that are perfect for soaking up the sauce.
Storage & Reheating
Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Freezer: You can choose to freeze the chicken and piccata sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 months. I don't recommend freezing pasta.
Reheating: Place the chicken and sauce in a skillet over medium heat and cook until warmed. Or in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below-I'd love to hear how it turned out! THANK YOU!
Chicken Piccata Pasta (Lemon Caper Butter, 30 Minutes)
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Ingredients
- 8 ounces Spaghetti or Angel hair pasta
- ½ cup flour
- 4 thin sliced chicken breasts
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 shallot, diced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ⅓ cup chicken broth
- black pepper to taste
- 4 tablespoons capers
- chopped parsley for serving, optional
Instructions
- Cook spaghetti or pasta according to package directions.8 ounces Spaghetti or Angel hair pasta
- Begin by adding flour to a bowl. Season the chicken with sea salt and black pepper then dip the chicken breasts into the flour to coat on all sides. Shake off the excess flour.½ cup flour, 4 thin sliced chicken breasts, ½ teaspoon sea salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of butter and olive oil over medium-high heat.1 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Once hot, turn the heat to medium and add the chicken breasts. Cook for 3- 4 minutes. Flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes on the second side or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove it from the pan, slice into strips and set aside.
- Add the shallot to the pan and let it soften while stirring for 2 minutes. Add ½ teaspoon of salt and the garlic. Stir.1 shallot, ½ teaspoon salt, 3 garlic cloves
- Pour or squeeze in the lemon juice. Then add in another tablespoon of butter, lemon zest and chicken broth.½ lemon, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 1 tablespoon butter, ⅓ cup chicken broth
- Let the sauce reduce for about 4 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Season the sauce with black pepper and add in the capers.black pepper to taste, 4 tablespoons capers
- Turn off the heat and add the sliced chicken to the pan. Spoon sauce over the chicken.
- In bowls, add the spaghetti topped with sliced chicken and some of the piccata sauce. Garnish each plate with chopped parsley, additional capers and lemon wedges.chopped parsley for serving
Sarah's Tips
- Use thinly sliced chicken breasts for quick, even cooking.
- Finish the sauce with butter off the heat for a silky, restaurant-style texture.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days and reheat gently in a skillet.
Brian says
This is so good and so easy to make, it has quickly entered our regular rotation of meals. I love capers so tend to add more 😊Love this meal!
Sarah Hill says
Hi Brian, so happy you guys enjoy this recipe!!