Chicken Scallopini

This chicken scallopini recipe is an Italian bistro favorite with a buttery lemon sauce topped with capers.

pan full of Chicken Scallopini in creamy lemon sauce

Holly’s Recipe Highlights

Flavor: Fresh and lemony, chicken scallopini has a sauce that’s both light and buttery— great for date night and easy enough for a busy weeknight.
Difficulty: One-skillet scallopini goes from the stovetop to the tabletop in just a few steps.
Recommended Tools: A microplane is the perfect tool for zesting everything from lemons to ginger.
Ingredient Tip: Use a fresh lemon as you’ll need both the juice and zest. When zesting the lemon, zest just the yellow part of the skin. The white part (called the pith) is bitter.

Chicken Scallopini vs. Chicken Piccata

There is a difference between scallopini and piccata. Scallopini means thinly sliced pieces of meat, while piccata is more about the sauce. Scallopini can also be made with a Marsala wine sauce.

chicken , lemon , butter , oil , flour , broth , garlic , capers , wine , parsley , salt and pepper with labels to make Chicken Scallopini

Ingredient Tips For Chicken Scallopini

Chicken: Use chicken cutlets that are about ½-inch thick. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken breasts and cut them horizontally. ‘Scallopini’ refers to the method, not the protein; you can make this recipe with veal or pork.
Sauce: This lemony sauce couldn’t be more straightforward to make and tastes best with real butter, fresh lemon juice, and a dry white wine. Chopped green olives can be used in place of capers.
Variations: Add lemon pepper to the flour mixture in Step 2. Sauteed mushrooms and onions or steamed asparagus can be added to the recipe at the end of the recipe in Step 6.

seasoning chicken and adding flour to make Chicken Scallopini

cooked chicken in a pan to make Chicken Scallopini

How to Make Chicken Scallopini

Cook chicken cutlets (full recipe below).
Cook butter in garlic and whisk in remaining ingredients (except parsley).
Return chicken to the pan and simmer.
Garnish with parsley and lemon slices.

plated Chicken Scallopini on noodles and a fork

Ways to Serve Chicken Scallopini

Chicken scallopini is delicious with a side of grilled asparagus or roasted vegetables. It can also be topped with garlic mashed potatoes, macaroni, or zucchini noodles if you want a lower-carb, lower-calorie entrée. Add a simple tossed salad and dinner is served.

Leftovers?

Keep leftover chicken scallopini with its sauce in a covered container for up to 4 days. Reheat the chicken and sauce on the stovetop on medium heat or in the microwave with some extra broth. Freeze portions in zippered bags for up to 4 weeks and thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

Make a shortcut scallopini by using frozen and thawed chicken cutlets. Simply prepare the sauce and simmer the cutlets in Step 6.

More Tasty Chicken Recipes

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Chicken scallopini is a quick and flavorful dish with tender, golden chicken in a bright lemon butter sauce with capers and garlic—perfect for a simple yet elegant meal.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

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Zest 1 teaspoon of lemon zest*. Cut the rest of the lemon into wedges for serving and set aside.
Dab the chicken dry with a paper towel and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon lemon zest, salt and pepper. Lightly dust the chicken with flour.
In a 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken (in batches if needed), and brown 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Transfer to a plate to keep warm.
Add the butter and garlic to the pan and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Stir in white wine, broth, capers, and remaining lemon zest. Simmer for 3 minutes.
Add the chicken and simmer for 1 minute more to heat through. Garnish with parsley if desired, and serve with lemon slices.

Chicken: If using chicken breasts, cut them horizontally into cutlets, ¼-inch thick.
Mushrooms: 4 oz sliced mushrooms can be added to the sauce. Cook them in the pan before adding the garlic.
*How to zest a lemon: To zest a lemon, use a zester or use the smallest holes on a box grater and zest just the yellow part of the skin, the white part underneath (the pith) is bitter.
Leftovers: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days or in the freezer for 4 weeks.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Chicken, Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

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