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Chicken Piccata Pasta is a vibrant dish packed with the citrusy tartness of lemon and the tangy taste of capers. This versatile pasta is elegant enough for date night and quick enough for a family on the go. Enjoy it with a glass of white wine or some grape juice for the kids.
Lemony Chicken Piccata With Pasta
Chicken piccata and pasta are a match made in heaven, so why not put them together? Think of it as if my one pot spaghetti and lemon pasta had a baby! This recipe takes the classic Italian favorite, chicken piccata, and turns it into a quick and easy one-pot meal without sacrificing its simple elegance. With unbreaded chicken and no butter needed, this dish is simple yet still packed with bright flavor.
Lemon is the perfect flavor to add to chicken because the acid helps to tenderize the meat, making chicken breast so tender it falls apart in your mouth. Its crowd-pleasing flavors make chicken piccata pasta a hit with guests, dates, and even the pickiest eaters. Since it has a built-in side dish, it doesn’t take much to round this dish out into a full meal.
What is Chicken Piccata?
Chicken piccata is a classic Italian dish that’s often served with a side of pasta. The word piccata literally means something cooked in a sauce made with lemon, butter and capers. In our recipe, we replace the butter with olive oil and milk to make it just as creamy and rich. Plus, we add the pasta right in with the chicken to cut down on cook time!
Recipe Ingredients
All the ingredients in this quick dish last a long time on the shelf, so it’s easy to stock up on them. That way, you have them on hand for whenever you need a quick and easy meal. Scroll to the recipe card for exact amounts and thorough directions.
- Olive Oil: To cook the chicken. You can use any cooking oil that you like, including vegetable oil or avocado oil.
- Chicken Breast: I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes. You could also use chicken thighs.
- Salt & Pepper: Simple but essential! A little salt enhances all the flavors, while freshly ground black pepper adds a subtle kick and depth to the dish.
- Shallots: Finely chopped for a mild, slightly sweet onion flavor that melts right into the sauce.
- Garlic: Use whole cloves to infuse the dish with rich, savory depth—no overpowering bite, just pure garlicky goodness! 3/4-teaspoon of garlic powder will also work.
- Chicken Broth: I used low-sodium and fat-free broth.
- Lemon: This is used in several ways to really bring out the flavor.
- Spaghetti Noodles: If you use non-standard noodles, make sure to follow the cooking directions on the package. This dish works best with a sturdy kind of pasta so that you get some chicken and tangy sauce each time you take a bite. Long noodles like linguini, fettuccini and spaghetti can wrap the ingredients up and hold them in place. Penne and the spiral-shaped fusilli or cavatappi also help to pack the flavor into each bite.
- Capers: These tiny, briny buds add a tangy, salty kick to the dish. Try not to skip them—they’re key to that classic chicken piccata flavor!
- Milk: Anything with less than 2% fat content won’t work as well. Heavy cream is a great alternative.
- Parmesan and fresh parsley: For garnish.
How to Make Chicken Piccata Pasta
For this quick dinner, we start with the chicken piccata, then move on to preparing the pasta, and finally bring it all together. Everything will be ready to plate in 30 minutes or less!
- Prep Your Materials: Set the stove to medium-high heat and add the olive oil to your nonstick pot or dutch oven. Dice up your chicken, mince your garlic, and chop your shallots while the oil is heating.
- Add the Chicken: Once the oil is heated, add your chicken. Add salt and pepper to taste and cook for 6-7 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink. Stir frequently.
- Time for the Garlic & Shallots: Add the shallots and garlic and stir for 1 additional minute.
- Add Lemon Juice & Chicken Broth: Pour in the chicken broth and lemon juice and bring the pot to a boil.
- Pasta & Capers: Lower the heat to medium and stir in the raw pasta and capers. Cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid has been absorbed into the fully-cooked pasta.
- Stir in Milk: Add the milk and stir for another minute.
- Garnish & Serve: Plate the pasta and use the parmesan cheese, parsley and three slices of lemon to garnish each portion before serving.
Katerina’s Recipe Tips
This chicken pasta recipe is easy to make and hard to mess up, but there are definitely ways to make it even simpler.
- Tenderize the Chicken: Before cubing your chicken breast, try tapping it with a rolling pin to flatten it slightly. This will allow it to cook more evenly and absorb more flavor.
- Use Fresh Lemon: Be sure to use freshly squeezed lemon juice to make chicken piccata pasta. Bottled lemon juice is too concentrated and can ruin the sauce.
- Low Sodium Options: Use low-sodium chicken broth if you prefer. Another way to lower the sodium is to rinse the capers in cool water before you add them.
Add-Ins & Variations
- No Capers? No problem! If you don’t have capers in your pantry or just don’t like them, they can be substituted for sliced gherkins, green olives, or artichokes. Anything with a briny tang would work perfectly.
- Add Some Veggies: Adding vegetables to your chicken piccata pasta is a great way to add flavor. This zucchini and mushrooms, or just sliced brown mushrooms and halved cherry or grape tomatoes, are a great option.
- Substitute the Chicken: Pork tenderloin is another thin cut of meat that can be used in place of the chicken if you feel like something a little heartier, while tofu is a great vegetarian substitute for chicken breast. Be sure to check the cook times for any substitutes and adjust accordingly. You can also completely swap the chicken out for veggies.
Serving Suggestions
Since chicken piccata is an entree normally served with pasta on the side, this mash-up of the two doesn’t take much to make a complete meal. This Heirloom Tomato Salad compliments the bright flavors of the citrus and parsley. A refreshing Radish Cucumber Tomato Salad is also a great option, and the radishes will also bring some bite to offset the more subtle flavors of the pasta.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Proper storage. Store chicken piccata pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days after it has cooled completely. Sometimes, it’s even better the next day since the pasta and chicken have more time to soak up all that flavor. When you’re ready to dig in, just microwave it in 30-second intervals until warmed through.
- Freezing. This recipe is best enjoyed fresh. Freezing the lemon and caper sauce can cause it to curdle when thawed. However, if you have leftover chicken, you can freeze that separately and make a fresh batch of pasta and sauce when you’re ready to use it.
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Chicken Piccata Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups chicken broth, I use low sodium, fat free broth
- 1 whole lemon, juiced
- 8 ounces dry spaghetti pasta
- 3 tablespoons capers
- ½ cup milk, 2%, whole, or heavy cream are all okay to use
- thin lemon slices, optional, for garnish
- grated parmesan cheese, for garnish
- chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Prep. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a dutch oven or a nonstick pot.
- Cook the chicken. Add the cubed chicken to the heated oil and season it with salt and pepper; cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the chicken is no longer pink.
- Cook the aromatics. Add shallots and garlic; continue to cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Cook the spaghetti. Stir in the chicken broth and lemon juice, and bring to a boil. Stir in the spaghetti and capers; lower the heat to medium and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is cooked.
- Finish and serve. Stir in the milk and cook for 1 minute. Garnish with lemon slices, grated parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, and serve.
Equipment
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Great easy one pan recipe. I added 5 oz. Baby spinach to the pot for the last 5 min. cooking time.
Delicious.
Love these recipes! Thank you so much for going the extra mile in providing calorie breakdown with servings. But under this recipe, you show amount per serving of 1g??
Hi! The calorie-counter does that automatically and I have tried to fix it, but there’s no way around it. It definitely is more than 1 gram though! hehe This recipe serves 4 people. Serving of pasta is 1 cup cooked. Serving of chicken is about 3 ounces, cooked. I hope that helps. 🙂
Lemon have Vitamin C, useful for my health. I like this recipe.
Simple and tasty! Great recipe!
Made this tonight for my family! Did not change the recipe at all, except for my husbands portion added red pepper flakes, he likes spicy! Delicious! We loved it and will make it again. Thank you!
Hi Katerina,
Love Piccata anything, but also would like to make it with 1lb spaghetti. Can I double the liquid portions of this
recipe to accommodate 1lb pasta. Thanks for one pot wonders, that’s my speed.
Robert
Hi! I’ve made it with more pasta and needed about 4.5 to 5 cups of liquid to start with. So, don’t double the liquid, just add about 2 cups more of the chicken broth. I hope that helps! 🙂
Question… does this really need the milk???
Hi! No, you can skip the milk, but it does add a bit of creaminess to the dish.
Thanks so much for the quick response.
Question – it says 1 juiced lemon and then grated. Are you talking about the rind? If so, do I add that when I add the lemon juice?
Hi!
I use the grated lemon just for garnish, but if you like a stronger lemon flavor, you can definitely add some together with the lemon juice.
Simple and delicious.
I love one-pot meals like this for busy weeknights! I have been making some Indian dishes that are a one-pot style dish you build upon the flavors and then serve with some naan. So good! Thanks for the great recipe!
Oh I bet!! It sounds so good! And, Naaaaaan!! YESSS! 😀
This recipe is just what I need Kate! And one pot, how can I not make it??
Hi PAULA!!! SO happy to “hear” from you! 😀 XOXO