Chicken Piccata Pasta Lemon Caper (Printable)
Tender chicken meets zesty lemon-caper sauce over perfectly cooked pasta
# What You'll Need:
→ Poultry
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved horizontally
02 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
03 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour for dredging
→ Pasta
04 - 12 oz linguine or spaghetti
→ Sauce
05 - 3 tbsp olive oil
06 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1/2 cup dry white wine
09 - 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
11 - 3 tbsp capers, drained
12 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
13 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
14 - Lemon slices for garnish (optional)
# How to Cook:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
02 - Slice chicken breasts horizontally to create thin cutlets. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
03 - Lightly coat chicken pieces in flour, shaking off excess to ensure even coating.
04 - Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in batches for 3-4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
05 - Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and butter to the same skillet. Sauté garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.
06 - Pour in white wine, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Simmer for 2 minutes.
07 - Stir in chicken broth, lemon juice, and capers. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until slightly reduced.
08 - Return chicken to skillet and simmer for 2 minutes, spooning sauce over the top to reheat.
09 - Add drained pasta, parsley, and Parmesan to the skillet. Toss everything together, adding reserved pasta water as needed for a silky consistency. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan and lemon slices if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sauce hits every single note at once, bright lemon, salty capers, rich butter, and somehow they all play nice together
- It comes together in under 45 minutes but tastes like something from a restaurant that takes reservations three weeks out
02 -
- Do not rush the sear on the chicken, those golden brown bits are what gives the sauce its depth
- The sauce looks thin at first but tightens up as it coats the hot pasta, so do not keep reducing it until it disappears
03 -
- Room temperature chicken cooks more evenly, so take it out of the fridge about 20 minutes before you start
- If your sauce looks too thick, add more pasta water a tablespoon at a time until it is glossy and coats the back of a spoon