This irresistible Chicken Piccata Pasta will bring everyone rushing to the dinner table! It turns the classic Italian dish into a pasta masterpiece. This dish features juicy chicken thighs, capers, and a lemony, buttery sauce. The sauce clings beautifully to every bite of pasta. It's great for a quick family dinner during the week and ready in just 25 minutes! It's loaded with juicy chicken thighs, capers, and a lemony, buttery sauce that sticks to every bite
The mix of garlic, white wine, capers, fresh lemon juice, and parmesan cheese makes this chicken piccata pasta special. It has layers of bright flavors that really stand out.year- It's a delicious dish that you'll want on your meal rotation all year round!
When life gives you lemons… make this pasta 🍋🍝
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🗝️ Recipe's key points
- This chicken piccata pasta is quick to make. It takes less time than ordering takeout, but tastes like a dish from your favorite Italian restaurant.
- The mix of tangy lemon, salty capers, and rich butter makes a sauce that’s just right. It sticks nicely to the pasta.
- It's one of those rare dishes that feels both comforting and fresh at the same time.
If you love traditional chicken piccata, you'll enjoy this pasta version. It brings all those great flavors together in a complete meal. It's become my go-to when I need something impressive that doesn't take all evening to prepare.
🛒 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
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- Radiatori pasta - The ridges catch all that delicious sauce, but any short pasta works well.
- Chicken thighs - They stay juicy and tender, adding richness to the dish.
- Olive oil - For getting a nice golden sear on the chicken.
- Kosher salt & Black pepper - Just a bit brings out all the other flavors.
- Garlic cloves - Fresh garlic makes all the difference here.
- Crushed red pepper - Just enough for a hint of warmth.
- Dry white wine - Adds depth and helps create a silky sauce.
- Capers - These little flavor bombs add the distinctive piccata tang.
- Unsalted butter - Creates that luscious sauce texture.
- Fresh lemon juice - The heart and soul of any piccata dish.
- Parmesan cheese - Adds a salty, nutty finish.
- Fresh parsley - Brightens everything up. Be sure it's the flat-leaf variety.
🗒 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Cook your pasta in well-salted water until it's al dente (about 8 minutes for radiatori).
- Save a cup of the pasta water and set aside.
- Drain remaining pasta and set aside.
- Cut your chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and season them with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet.
- Add the chicken pieces, making sure to spread them out so they don't crowd one another.
- Let them brown on one side without disturbing them (about 4 minutes).
- Give everything a stir and cook for another 3 minutes until the chicken is evenly browned. Toss in the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking just until you can smell the garlic (about a minute).
- Pour in the wine and add the capers, letting the liquid reduce by half (this happens quickly, about a minute).
- Add your cooked pasta, a quarter cup of the reserved pasta water, the butter cubes, and fresh lemon juice.
- Keep everything moving over medium heat until the sauce thickens and coats the pasta beautifully (about 3 minutes). If it seems too thick, add a splash more pasta water.
- Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan and parsley.
Zesty, buttery, and ready for your table 🍽️
- Serve with lemon wedges on the side for anyone who wants an extra citrus kick.
🥫 Storage
This chicken piccata pasta keeps well in the fridge for 3-4 days in a sealed container. It makes for an excellent next-day lunch - I sometimes think it tastes even better after the flavors have had time to meld.
To reheat, warm it gently in a skillet with a small splash of water or broth to revive the sauce. The microwave works in a pinch, but the stovetop gives better results.
📚 Variations
- Need more vegetables? Toss in a handful of cherry tomatoes or some baby spinach right at the end.
- For a richer version, add a splash of heavy cream along with the butter.
- Gluten-free friends? Simply swap in your favorite gluten-free pasta.
- No wine in the house? Use chicken broth with a splash of white wine vinegar instead.
- Pasta shapes matter - while I love radiatori here, penne, bowties, or even spaghetti work beautifully.
- If you prefer chicken breast, that works too - just reduce the cooking time slightly to keep it tender.
Chicken Piccata meets pasta night—what could be better? 💛
👩🏻🍳 Tips
- Cutting the chicken into even pieces ensures everything cooks at the same rate.
- Don't rinse your pasta after cooking - that starch helps the sauce stick!
- Keep an eye on the garlic - it can go from golden to burnt in seconds.
- That reserved pasta water is liquid gold for creating a silky sauce.
- Fresh lemon juice makes a world of difference compared to the bottled stuff.
- Good Parmesan cheese that you grate yourself elevates the entire dish.
🤔 FAQs
You know, classic chicken piccata is often plated next to a simple side of pasta, but I love combining them into one dish. It just makes sense! If you've eaten at Italian-American restaurants, you've probably seen chicken piccata with pasta on the side. This recipe just brings them together in the same pan, letting all those amazing flavors mingle.
Typically chicken piccata is served with a side of pasta, but this dish already has the pasta added in!
The magic of piccata sauce comes from just a few ingredients: butter, fresh lemon juice, and capers. Add some white wine (or chicken broth), and that's your basic piccata sauce!
In traditional Italian cooking, you typically wouldn't find chicken and pasta served together in the same dish. Italians often enjoy their pasta as a first course and meat as a second course. But Italian-American cooking has its own delicious traditions! This chicken piccata pasta is more Italian-American. We’ve mixed these elements for a practical meal that still respects classic Italian flavors.
📗 Related Recipes
If you love this recipe, you have to try my yogurt marinated chicken piccata and sea trout piccata!
For more chicken pasta dishes, check out these favorites:
Sauce-hugging pasta and golden chicken thighs = dinner dreams.
🍽 What to serve with Chicken Piccata Pasta
I usually keep the sides simple with chicken piccata pasta since it's already a complete meal. A crisp green salad works perfectly - something with a light dressing like homemade Italian dressing or a basil vinaigrette that won't compete with the tangy sauce.
If you're extra hungry, some garlic cheesy bread for sopping up that sauce never disappoints! When I'm feeling fancy, I'll roast asparagus or broccoli to add a splash of green to the plate.
🔪 All Our Way recommends the following
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You’ll need the following items to make this recipe successfully.
- Pasta pot - for cooking the pasta
- Large skillet - the wider the better to give the chicken room to brown
- Chef knife and Cutting board - for prepping the chicken and garlic
- Dry measuring cups, Liquid measuring cup, and Measuring spoons - to get those flavors balanced just right
- Wooden mixing spoon - for stirring without scratching your pan
📞 Chiacchierata (chat)
You know what, amici? I wasn't planning to serve this the other night, but surprise guests showed up (don't they always?). I quickly made this Chicken Piccata Pasta recipe like it was niente (nothing).
And let me tell you...not a noodle was left on those plates! The buttery limone (lemon) sauce hugged the pasta just right, and the cosce di pollo (chicken thighs) were juicy and golden. It felt like a restaurant meal, but it was made con amore (with love) right in my cucina (kitchen). This one's a keeper, my friends—give it a try and let it become your go-to recipe too!
Buon appetito! And as always, grazie mille for shopping by. 💛🍋🍝
Tutti a tavolo, è pronto!
Warning: May cause second (and third) helpings! 😋
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
What's new? Check out my All Our Way Store on Amazon. We'll be adding more items we love and use or wish we had to make cooking fun and easy.
📖 Recipe
Chicken Piccata Pasta
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked radiatori pasta
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 large garlic cloves thinly sliced
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ½ cup 4 ounces dry white wine
- ¼ cup drained capers
- ¼ cup cold unsalted butter 2 ounces, cubed
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice plus lemon wedges for serving
- 2 ounces Parmesan cheese grated (about ½ cup)
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook according to package directions for al dente, about 8 minutes. (For firmer texture, reduce cooking time to 7 minutes.) Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Drain pasta; set aside.
- Sprinkle chicken with salt and black pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high until it just begins to smoke.
- Add chicken, and cook, undisturbed, until browned on 1 side, about 4 minutes. Stir and cook until evenly browned, about 3 minutes.
- Add garlic and crushed red pepper to skillet, and cook until fragrant and starting to brown, about 1 minute.
- Add wine and capers. Bring to a boil, and reduce by half, about 1 minute.
- Add reserved pasta, ¼ cup reserved pasta cooking liquid, butter, and lemon juice. Cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until sauce clings to pasta, about 3 minutes. (Add additional cooking liquid as needed.)
- Remove from heat, and stir in Parmesan and parsley. Serve with lemon wedges.
