Italian-American · main

Chicken Piccata Pasta

Chicken Piccata Pasta reads richness 6.4, citrus 5.7 and sourness 5.1 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian-American main, about 29 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 5.7 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 2.9 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 7.2 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.3 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.8 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.0 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Richness 6.4 · Citrus 5.7 · Sourness 5.1 · Umami 5.0 · Salinity 4.9 · Allium 3.6 · Herbaceous 2.5 · Fruity 2.5 · Funk & Ferment 2.0 · Floral 1.5 · Warm Spice 1.5 · Sweetness 1.3 · Earthy 1.2 · Nutty 1.2 · Bitterness 1.1 · Heat 0.8

What's in it (13)

• thin spaghetti — 340 g
• boneless chicken — 567 g
• salt — 5 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• all-purpose flour — 60 g
• olive oil — 41 g
• unsalted butter — 54 g
• garlic — 9 g
• dry white wine — 79 g
• low-salt chicken broth — 237 g
• lemon juice — 79 g
• capers — 44 g
• flat-leaf parsley — 15 g

Time & effort: about 29 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 102.5 kcal, 13.2 g protein, 5.2 g fat, 6.7 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (11 steps)

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until al dente, 10-11 minutes; scoop out 1 cup of pasta water just before draining, then drain the pasta.
2. Season the chicken cutlets on both sides with the salt and pepper.
3. Dredge each cutlet in the flour, shaking off the excess.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in two batches, sear the chicken until deeply golden on the first side, 3-4 minutes, then flip and cook until golden and the center reaches 165°F, 2-3 minutes more; transfer to a plate.
5. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and saute the garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
6. Pour in the wine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and simmer until reduced by about half, 2-3 minutes.
7. Stir in the chicken broth, lemon juice and zest, and capers; simmer until slightly thickened and reduced by about a third, 4-5 minutes.
8. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet, spoon the sauce over the top, and simmer gently until the chicken is warmed through and just cooked at the center, 2-3 minutes.
9. Remove the skillet from the heat and whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter until the sauce turns glossy and slightly thickened.
10. Add the drained linguine to the skillet with a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water; toss until glossy and evenly coated, adding more pasta water as needed to loosen.
11. Slice the chicken cutlets on the bias, divide the pasta among plates, top with the chicken, and finish with a scatter of parsley.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Chicken Piccata — Italian-American
• Skillet Chicken Piccata — Italian-American
• Veal Piccata — Italian-American
• Chicken Francese — Italian-American
• Grilled Halloumi Gyros with Tzatziki — Greek

Keep reading: what richness, citrus, sourness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →

Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.