There are a lot of nights I come home from work and barely have time to get dinner on the table. It has to be something pantry/freezer ready, easy and can satisfy two adults and a hungry child. This easy chicken piccata pasta is a great all-rounder for those needs. It also happens to be very affordable. When I see chicken breasts on sale, I’ll stock up and slice them horizontally into thin cutlets. A little bit of pounding with a mallet or rolling pin evens out the thickness so they cook at the same rate. I then freeze them in small batches for nights when I need a meal in a hurry. Thin cutlets defrost quickly under cold, running water if frozen in bags in a single layer.
A satisfying, easy meal that will please even a kid who’s a picky eater.
Tender chicken, artichokes and angel hair pasta tossed with white wine, capers and chicken stock. It’s sure to please most of the non-vegetarians in your life. If artichokes aren’t your thing, you can substitute any other quick cooking vegetable. Frozen peas, broccoli, sugar snap peas, zucchini and baby spinach all come to mind. You can use up any leftover vegetables you have lying around in your vegetable drawer. Just cut them relatively small for quick cooking.
I love that this recipe uses almost all pantry ingredients except the chicken. All you need is chicken stock, artichokes, white wine or sherry (optional), capers, pasta and butter. Everything comes together with very little prep and one pan for the chicken and sauce and one pan for boiling pasta. I can usually get this meal on the table in less than 20 minutes if I have chicken ready to go!
Easy chicken piccata pasta with half the amount of chicken?
I’m sure some people will disagree with me on this one. A standard chicken breast these days usually weighs in at 6 ounces. That’s a large portion of meat, in my opinion (and the American Cancer Society). Nutritionists say we should consume meat that is comparable to the size of a deck of cards or about 3 ounces. With that in mind, I generally only serve half a breast per person. People are always surprised when I tell them I only used two breasts to feed four people. Half a breast pounded out thinly almost looks like an entire chicken breast.
If prepping the meat yourself is too much trouble, buy chicken cutlets or have your butcher do the work for you. If you want more chicken per serving, then just double the amount of meat and flour in this recipe. This meal adds up to about $5.22 for two people. That’s less than one movie ticket on cheap ticket Tuesday. You can easily double this easy chicken piccata pasta to serve a family of four for less than $12.00. Not too shabby in my book!
Easy Chicken Piccata Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 chicken breast, cut in half horizontally, pounded to 1/2″ thickness (about 6 ounces total)
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- salt (for seasoning)
- black pepper (for seasoning)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 ounces spaghetti, thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta
- 3 tbsp shallot or white onion, finely diced
- 1/2 cup white wine or sherry (optional)
- 2 tbsp capers (drained or rinsed, if in salt)
- 1 cup canned artichoke hearts, quartered, drained
- 1½ cups chicken stock
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp butter, divided
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
- lemon wedges or slices, for serving (optional)
Method
- Place a medium-large pot of salted water over high heat for the pasta. Place a medium skillet or low-sided pan over medium heat for the chicken.
- Sprinkle flour onto a plate or shallow bowl. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour, lightly coating and shaking off excess.
- Once pan is hot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter. Once butter stops foaming, add chicken. Cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side (chicken will not be cooked through at this point). Remove and set aside.
- Add the shallots or onion to the pan. If pan is a little dry, add a touch more olive oil. Saute' lightly for 30 seconds. Increase heat and add white wine, if using. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up any browned bits in the pan. Boil on high until wine is reduced by half. If not using wine, just add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
- Add the pasta to the pot of boiling water. Cook according to package instructions for al dente pasta and drain (undercook by 1-2 minutes).
- Add the capers, artichokes and chicken to the skillet. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook for about 5 minutes. Add butter, a tablespoon at a time, shaking the pan to incorporate. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed.
- Add the drained pasta and cook for 1-2 minutes, tossing to combine. Off heat, add lemon juice and garnish with parsley. Divide everything between two bowls and garnish with a lemon wedge, if desired.
Notes
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This sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome! Please let me know if you try it!
Wow, this sounds simple and super delicious. I think I’ll try it.
Glad you like it and hope you do!
Great recipe! Thank you for sharing!
Hope it’s helpful during this time! Stay healthy and safe!