Chicken scallopini is a simple yet incredible dish with crispy chicken breasts bathed in a luscious lemon-butter sauce. The chicken is packed with flavor, while the tangy sauce sets this dish over the top.
This classic Italian-American dish is a favorite for a reason: it's quick and easy to prepare, yet impressive enough to serve for any occasion. With its irresistible combination flavors, this chicken scallopini recipe is sure to become a go-to meal in your kitchen.
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🗝️ Recipe's key points
- Butterflying and pounding the chicken breasts until they're thin ensures quick, even cooking and a tender result.
- Dredging the chicken in flour before pan-searing creates a crispy, golden brown exterior.
- The simple lemon-white wine sauce is buttery, tangy, and absolutely irresistible - perfect for spooning over the chicken.
- This dish comes together in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights when you want something special.
Chicken scallopini is a dish that's both easy to prepare and impressive to serve. With its crispy, juicy chicken and addictive lemon-butter sauce, this recipe is sure to become a weeknight staple.
🛒 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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- Lemon - you'll need about ¼ cup of fresh lemon juice to add bright, tangy flavor to the sauce.
- Fresh parsley - chopped parsley adds a pop of freshness and color when sprinkled over the finished dish.
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts - look for breasts that are fairly even in thickness for the best results.
- Kosher salt & black pepper - essential for seasoning the chicken.
- All-purpose flour - for dredging the pounded chicken to create a crisp exterior.
- Olive oil - used for pan-searing the chicken until golden brown.
- Dry white wine - forms the base of the pan sauce and adds acidity and depth of flavor. Choose something you'd enjoy drinking!
- Low-sodium chicken broth - helps create a flavorful, glossy pan sauce.
- Unsalted butter - adds richness to the sauce and helps emulsify it into a silky consistency.
🗒 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- To begin, juice a large lemon into a bowl and set aside. Pick the leaves from 5-6 fresh parsley sprigs and coarsely chop. Set this aside as well.
- Starting at the thickest part of the chicken, slice the chicken lengthwise with a very sharp knife.
- Cover the chicken in plastic wrap or place it in a zip-top bag. Use a meat mallet to pound out the chicken to an even ¼-inch thickness.
- Season the chicken all over with 1 teaspoon of the Kosher salt and ½ teaspoon of the black pepper.
- Put the flour in a shallow dish, then add the thin chicken fillets one at a time.
- Toss until evenly coated, then shake to remove excess flour.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add 2 pieces of chicken in a single layer.
- Cook until golden brown on both sides and cooked through. Remove to a plate and keep warm while you repeat the process with the remaining chicken, adding more olive oil if needed.
- Add the wine to the pan and cook until reduced by half. Add the lemon juice, chicken broth, and remaining kosher salt. Cook until glossy and slightly thickened.
- Add the butter and stir until melted.
- Cook until glossy, slightly thickened until shiny, about 3 minutes.
- Add the chicken back to the pan and spoon the sauce over the top.
- Sprinkle the chicken scallopini with fresh parsley.
- Serve with fresh lemon slices, if desired.
🥫 Storage
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, place the chicken and sauce in a covered skillet over medium-low heat until warmed through, adding a splash of chicken broth if needed to thin out the sauce.
You can also freeze chicken scallopini for longer storage. Allow the dish to cool completely, then transfer the chicken and sauce to a freezer-safe container or resealable bag, removing as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw the chicken and sauce overnight in the refrigerator, then warm in a covered skillet over medium-low heat until heated through, stirring occasionally.
📚 Variations
- Add 2 tablespoons of drained capers to the sauce along with the butter for a briny, salty kick, transforming the dish into Chicken Piccata.
- Stir in ¼ cup of heavy cream and 2 minced garlic cloves to the sauce for a rich, garlicky twist on the classic scallopini.
- Mix 1 teaspoon each of chopped fresh thyme and oregano into the flour mixture for an extra layer of herbaceous flavor.
- Substitute boneless pork chops or veal cutlets for the chicken breasts to create Pork or Veal Scallopini, using the same technique and sauce.
👩🏻🍳 Tips
- For even cooking, choose chicken breasts that are similar in size and thickness.
- Don't overcrowd the pan when cooking the chicken, or it won't brown properly. Work in batches if needed.
- Be careful not to overcook the chicken, as it can quickly become dry and tough. It should be just cooked through and still juicy in the center.
- If the sauce seems too thin, let it simmer for an extra minute or two to thicken up. If it's too thick, add a splash of chicken broth to thin it out.
🤔 FAQs
Chicken scallopini refers to a dish made with thinly sliced, pounded chicken breasts that are dredged in flour, pan-seared, and served with a sauce. The term "scallopini" comes from the Italian word "scaloppine," which means "small scallops" or "escalopes," referring to the thin, quick-cooking pieces of meat.
Yes, you can freeze chicken scallopini for longer storage. Allow the dish to cool completely, then transfer the chicken and sauce to a freezer-safe container or resealable bag, removing as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat, thaw the chicken and sauce overnight in the refrigerator, then warm in a covered skillet over medium-low heat until heated through, stirring occasionally. The sauce may need to be thinned out with a bit of chicken broth or water after thawing.
Chicken piccata and chicken scallopini are very similar dishes, with the main difference being the sauce. Chicken scallopini is typically served with a lemon-butter sauce, while chicken piccata includes capers in the sauce for a briny, salty flavor. Both dishes feature thinly pounded chicken breasts that are dredged in flour and pan-seared.
While chicken scallopini is best enjoyed immediately after cooking, you can prepare the chicken ahead of time to make the cooking process quicker and easier. Butterfly and pound the chicken breasts, then store them in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before cooking. When you're ready to cook, simply dredge the chicken and proceed with the recipe as written.
Chicken scallopini is an Italian-American dish that has roots in traditional Italian cuisine. The preparation of thinly pounded meat served with a sauce is common in Italy, but the specific combination of ingredients and flavors in chicken scallopini has evolved in American kitchens.
📗 Related Recipes
If you love classic Italian dishes like this one, try Saucy Homemade Pappardelle, Traditional Italian Peperonata, and Baked Eggplant Parmesan.
Can't get enough chicken? You'll want to try Marry Me Chicken, Chicken Parmigiana, and Monterey Chicken.
🍽 What to serve with Chicken Scallopini
The most classic side dish to serve with chicken scallopini is pasta! Here are some more ideas for serving along with your scallopini:
- Tagliolini al Limone
- Creamy Risotto
- Green Salad with Italian Dressing
- Roasted Broccoli or Asparagus
- Roasted Potatoes
- Garlic Bread
🔪 All Our Way recommends the following
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You’ll need the following items to make this recipe successfully.
- Cutting board & chef's knife - for slicing the chicken breasts in half.
- Gallon zip-top bags & meat mallet - makes it easy to pound the chicken into thin, even pieces. A rolling pin also works!
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Pie plate or other shallow dish - for dredging the chicken pieces in flour.
- Large skillet - preferably cast iron for even heat distribution and great browning.
- Tongs - for easily flipping the chicken as it cooks.
- Aluminum foil - to keep the cooked chicken warm while you make the sauce.
📞 Chiacchierata (chat)
And there you have it, my friends – an elegant Chicken Scallopini in a delightful lemon white wine sauce! This dish might have a fancy flair, but it's facile e veloce (easy and quick) as can be, perfect for those nights when you want to impress without the stress. Simple ingredients come together to create a meal that's sure to make you feel like a gourmet chef in your own cucina (kitchen).
So, whether you're whipping this up for a special occasion or just a cozy cena a casa(dinner at home), I promise it will be a hit. Don’t forget to pair it with your favorite side dishes and perhaps a glass of that white wine you used in the sauce.
Grazie mille for joining me today. I hope to see you here soon to chat about another delicious recipe. Until then, happy cooking and even happier eating! Buon appetito!
Tutti a tavolo, è pronto!
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
One-Pan Chicken Scallopini In Lemon Butter Sauce
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
- 1 large lemon
- 5 to 6 sprigs fresh parsley
- 1 ¼ lbs large boneless skinless chicken breasts skinless chicken breasts (about 1 ¼ pounds total)
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt divided
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Juice 1 large lemon until you have ¼ cup. Pick the leaves from 5 to 6 fresh parsley sprigs until you have 2 tablespoons, and coarsely chop them.
- Starting at the thickest end and holding your knife parallel to the cutting board, cut 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts in half (also known as butterflying).
- Working with 1 piece of chicken at a time, place it inside a gallon zip-top bag and seal it, pressing out as much air as possible. Pound with the flat side of a meat mallet, rolling pin, or small skillet to an even ¼-inch thickness.
- Season the chicken all over with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper.
- Place ¼ cup all-purpose flour in a pie plate or large, deep plate. Dredge 1 piece of chicken in the flour until evenly coated, then pat to remove any excess flour. Place on a large plate or cutting board and repeat with the remaining chicken, placing them in a single layer.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Add 2 pieces of the chicken in a single layer and cook until cooked through, golden brown, and slightly crispy, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- Transfer to a large plate or serving platter and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm. If the pan is dry, add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and repeat cooking the remaining chicken.
- Add ½ cup dry white wine to the pan and cook until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Add the lemon juice, ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth, and the remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt.
- Cook until glossy, slightly thickened, and slightly darker in color, about 3 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and swirl around the pan until melted.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with the parsley.
Notes
Nutrition
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