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.
Jump to:
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.
Try More Pasta Recipes
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
Video
Save this Recipe!
Get the recipe link sent to your inbox!
See the full post for extra tips and photos
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!!