Chicken Piccata with Linguine and Asparagus is a bright, elegant Italian-American dish featuring tender pounded chicken breasts finished in a tangy lemon-caper sauce and served over pasta. The combination of white wine, fresh lemon juice, and briny capers delivers restaurant-quality flavor in under 30 minutes.
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Place chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound them to an even, thin consistency.
Season the pounded chicken generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
On a hot, lightly oiled griddle or large pan, cook the chicken cutlets for a few minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the griddle and set aside.
In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter.
Add the minced garlic to the melted butter and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan. Allow it to bubble and reduce by about half, burning off the alcohol.
Add the capers along with their brine to the pan.
Squeeze in the juice of one lemon.
Pour in the chicken stock and bring the sauce to a simmer, allowing the flavors to meld.
In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water to create a slurry. Slowly pour the slurry into the simmering sauce while whisking to thicken it to your desired consistency.
To plate, arrange a bed of cooked linguine on each plate.
Place a piece of grilled chicken on top of the linguine.
Ladle a generous amount of the lemon-caper sauce over the chicken and pasta.
Garnish with grilled asparagus, if using, and serve immediately.
Store cooked chicken and sauce separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat gently over low heat on the stovetop and serve over freshly cooked pasta.
Yes, pound them up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerate covered. This saves time on cooking day.
Substitute with chicken stock or a splash of lemon juice mixed with stock. Avoid sweet wines as they'll throw off the sauce balance.
Pound to about 1/4-inch thickness so it cooks evenly and quickly without drying out.
Store the chicken and sauce separately in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat the chicken gently in the sauce over low heat, then combine with fresh pasta.
Yes, but increase cooking time by 5–7 minutes since thighs are thicker. Pound to 1/4-inch if possible for even doneness.
