My lemon chicken scallopini recipe is quick enough for weeknights, but elegant enough to rival any Italian restaurant. Lightly-breaded chicken cutlets are pan-seared to a golden crisp finish, then paired with a bright, buttery piccata sauce packed with tangy, briny capers. This one pan scallopini really delivers big on flavor without much effort!
Scallopini Chicken with Lemon Piccata Sauce
Chicken scallopini is a classic Italian-American dish that looks and tastes fancy, but is actually really easy to make at home. “Scallopini” refers to the technique of thinly slicing and flattening meat before lightly dredging and searing it, then simmering it with a pan sauce. While it’s traditionally made with veal, I find that chicken is a more affordable alternative that’s just as delicious!
I love making this scallopini recipe with piccata sauce because you just can’t beat that rich, tangy, and zesty lemon flavor! But these cutlets also pair well with marsala sauce, so be sure to try both options. No matter how you sauce it, I’m amazed by the simplicity of this one pan dish.
🙈 Learn from my mistake!
When I added the butter with the rest of the sauce ingredients and simmered everything together, it didn’t seem quite right. The piccata sauce was too thin and it just wasn’t buttery enough.
💡Lesson Learned: Simmer the broth, lemon, and capers until reduced, and then stir in the butter just until it’s melted. This simple trick helps create a smooth, glossy, and rich sauce that clings beautifully to the scallopini chicken.
Lemon Chicken Scallopini Recipe
Equipment
- Large Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (sliced horizontally into 4 cutlets*)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (**)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (***)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Lemon Piccata Sauce:
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (****)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (****)
- 2 tablespoons capers (drained*****)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry. Season both sides with salt and pepper.2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Place the flour in a shallow dish and lightly coat each cutlet, shaking off any excess.½ cup all-purpose flour
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 3-4 minutes per side; until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.3 cloves garlic
- Pour in the chicken broth and lemon juice. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.1 cup chicken broth, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- Stir in the lemon zest and capers. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until the sauce reduces slightly.1 teaspoon lemon zest, 2 tablespoons capers
- Stir in the remaining butter until melted.1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Return the chicken to the skillet and spoon the sauce over the top. Simmer for 1-2 minutes to warm through.2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Notes
- Shake off excess flour after dredging. A light coating creates a delicate crust while preventing the sauce from becoming overly thick or pasty.
- Cook the chicken in batches if necessary. Leaving space around each cutlet allows moisture to evaporate so the chicken browns properly.
- Simmering the sauce first concentrates the flavors, so the final addition of butter enriches the sauce rather than diluting it.
- Returning the chicken just long enough to heat through keeps it juicy while allowing it to absorb some of the lemon butter sauce.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
Foolproof Tips
- Brown before flipping. Flipping the chicken too early can interfere with proper browning and crust formation. Instead, let the chicken cook undisturbed for a few minutes, until it naturally releases from the pan.
- Deglaze thoroughly. Scraping up the browned bits after adding the broth dissolves all of the flavorful caramelized proteins into the sauce, creating a much deeper flavor.
- Warm gently at the end. Returning the pan-seared chicken just long enough to heat through keeps it juicy while allowing it to absorb some of the lemon butter sauce.
How to Make Chicken Scallopini Step by Step
Prep: Gather the list of ingredients for this lemon chicken scallopini recipe. Mince your garlic, juice and zest your lemon, and drain your capers. If starting with thicker chicken breasts, slice them horizontally into thin cutlets.
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Season the Chicken: Thoroughly pat dry the chicken cutlets to remove excess surface moisture. This ensures the flour sticks while dredging. Then season generously with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper. Place ½ cup of all-purpose flour into a shallow dish or bowl for dredging.
Dredge the Chicken: Fully coat each cutlet in the flour, being sure to get all sides. Shake off any excess to prevent a clumpy or undercooked coating. A light coating helps create that golden, crispy exterior we’re going for!
Brown the Chicken: Next, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. You’ll know it’s ready when the butter starts to foam and the oil shimmers. Once your pan is hot and ready, add the flour-coated chicken in a single layer. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until each piece is golden brown and cooked through. Then set them aside on a plate.
Deglaze: Reduce the heat to medium, then toss in 3 minced cloves of garlic and stir constantly for about 30 seconds. This will help it bloom, so all that aromatic flavor comes out. Then pour in 1 cup of chicken broth and ¼ cup of fresh lemon juice. Scrape up all those delicious browned bits from the bottom of the skillet — this adds more flavor to the sauce.
Make the Piccata Sauce: Next, stir in 1 teaspoon of lemon zest and 2 tablespoons of capers. Let everything simmer for about 3-4 minutes, until the sauce thickens and reduces slightly. Once reduced, stir in 1 tablespoon of butter, just until it’s fully melted.
Finish: Add the cooked chicken cutlets back to the skillet, and spoon the lemon butter sauce over the top. Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes to warm through.
Serve: Garnish with parsley and serve immediately. I love serving this scallopini piccata over pasta. Feel free to add mushrooms or other veggies right to the pan, or simply serve them on the side!
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Store leftover scallopini chicken and piccata sauce in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat over low heat on the stovetop, or in short intervals in the microwave until warmed through. Be careful not to overcook when reheating, as this can dry out the chicken.
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