Chicken Piccata Pasta with tender golden brown chicken, fresh lemon juice, capers, Pecorino Romano cheese and preserved lemons for a restaurant-style meal at home in just 20 minutes!
JUMP TO RECIPEThis Chicken Piccata Pasta recipe takes classic chicken piccata, and transforms it into a tasty weeknight pasta with juicy browned chicken in a lemony, buttery, and caper-studded sauce that clings like a dream to the your favorite pasta.
Add in the optional preserved lemons at the end for a super citrusy and tangy bite, perfectly complimented by the salty and savory Pecorino Romano cheese.
Table of Contents
- Chicken Piccata Pasta Ingredient Notes
- How to make Chicken Piccata Pasta
- Tips for Success
- Chicken Piccata Pasta Pairing and Serving Suggestions
- FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
- More Pasta Recipes
Chicken Piccata Pasta Ingredient Notes
Chicken Breast. This recipe calls for 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You'll cut them into bite-sized pieces, and toss in seasoned flour before pan frying in a bit of olive oil. This not only gives the chicken great flavor and a golden brown crust- the flour left in the pan aids in thickening the sauce, for a creamy, glossy finish.
Pasta. To go along with the smaller pieces of chicken for the perfect bite, I like to use a short shaped pasta for this recipe. I used Fusilli Bucati, but any short pasta you like, such as penne, rigatoni, or rotini will work great! Just think bite-size.
Butter. You'll use butter twice in this recipe- first to cook the garlic and red pepper flakes after browning the chicken, as well as at the end of cook time. Make sure your butter is cold, so it melts slowly and emulsifies into a glossy sauce when added to the pasta. I love a good salted butter like Kerrygold for this recipe.
Lemons. You'll juice 1-2 fresh lemons to get enough juice to add at the end of cook time to give a fresh burst of acid and brighten up the pasta.
Capers. Jarred capers, along with a bit of the salty brine in the jar go into the sauce to give this pasta that briney, salty, and acidic pop thats synonymous with Piccata sauce.
Pecorino Romano cheese. Just a touch of this sharp and tangy Italian cheese goes in at the end of cook time to give the Chicken Piccata pasta a creamier feel, and up the ante on the funky flavors of the capers and lemon.
Optional Add-In
Preserved Lemons. These are optional, but highly recommended. Preserved lemons are fermented, which mellows a bit of their tart flavor, and concentrates the citrus flavor. The rinds are fully edible (and delicious). Adding chopped preserved lemon at the end of cook time gives this Chicken Piccata Pasta maximum lemon flavor. These can be found in some grocery stores, as well as specialty markets, or online.
How to make Chicken Piccata Pasta
Below is a step-by-step visual guide with sensory cues to making the perfect Chicken Piccata Pasta, every time. Get your pasta water going while you prep the ingredients, and cook it while you prepare the chicken and sauce to speed up the process.
Tips for Success
Use Fresh Lemons. Fresh squeezed lemon juice will give the best flavor to this pasta Bottled is often muted and bitter.
Add (cold) butter off heat. To get an ultra velvety and silky sauce, add the second half of the butter at the end of cooking off heat. Keep it cold in the fridge until you're ready to add it.
Keep that pasta water. Finishing with some reserved starchy pasta water gives you a glossy sauce, and helps the sauce cling to the pasta.
Chicken Piccata Pasta Pairing and Serving Suggestions
| Bread | Some crusty Italian bread or garlic bread goes great alongside this dish for a family style meal. |
| Salad | A light salad adds a nice contrast the the tangy, buttery pasta. |
| Veggies | A bright, green veggie like broccolini or asparagus makes a great side, too! |
My favorite pairing? A glass of the white wine I used for the sauce!
Chicken Piccata Pasta Recipe
Equipment
- large deep skillet or saute pan
Ingredients
- ½ lb pasta, (short shaped, such as Fusilli Bucati or Rotini)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Diamond crystal salt , (or ½ teaspoon table salt)
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into ½” pieces
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tablespoon salted butter, (cold)
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon caper brine
- ¾ cup dry white wine , (such as Sauvignon Blanc)
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice , fresh squeezed
- 1 tablespoon Preserved lemons (optional), (rinsed and finely chopped, seeds removed)
- 2 tablespoon capers
- ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- chopped chives or flat leaf parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook according to package directions for al dente. Drain, and reserve 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. (Cook pasta while you prep the sauce for quicker timing) 2. Add flour to a large plate or bowl, and whisk in salt and pepper until well combined. 3. Cut chicken into bite sized pieces (about ½”), and coat in seasoned flour, shaking off any excess flour (you only want a light coating). Transfer to a plate. 4. Add olive oil to a deep skillet and heat over medium heat until shimmering, 2-3 minutes. 5. Add chicken, working in 2 batches, and cook undisturbed on the first side for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown. Flip over and cook 1-2 minutes more. Transfer cooked first batch of chicken to a plate and repeat with the second batch. 6. Once all chicken is browned and removed to a plate, add ½ of the butter (2 tbsp) to the pan and melt. Keep the remaining butter in the refrigerator until ready to use. 7. Add the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan with the melted butter, and cook until just fragrant, about.1 minute. 8. Add the wine and caper brine to the pan and stir, scraping up any browned bits. Cook 1-2 minutes until slightly reduced. 9. Add the chicken back (and any accumulated juices) back to the pan, and cook, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes. 10. Turn off heat, and add the remaining cold butter, lemon juice, preserved lemon and capers. Stir until glossy. 11. Add pasta and cheese, and a bit of reserved pasta water, and toss to coat. 12. Garnish with fresh chopped chives or parsley, and additional Pecorino Romano cheese, if desired.
Nutrition
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
How do I thin out my pasta sauce?
If your sauce is looking a little thicker than you would like, add a bit more pasta water to thin it out.
Can I omit the cheese?
Yes you can. If omitting the cheese, add pasta water a little a time to make sure your sauce comes out nice and silky.
What is a good substitute for capers?
If you can't find capers, some finely chopped green olives would make a good acidic and briney substitute.
More Pasta Recipes
If you love this Chicken Piccata Pasta, you'll love my easy weeknight Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken and Broccoli and Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Piccata Meatballs, too!
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