Chicken Scallopini

Craving Italian-inspired comfort food? Make this lighter twist on chicken scallopini served with a lemon-caper butter sauce!

Chicken scallopini is an Italian dish made by dredging thinly sliced chicken in flour, pan-frying it, then topping it with a lemon-caper butter sauce.

By using a lighter dusting of flour and cutting back on the butter, this scallopini is healthier than what you’d find in a restaurant, but still oh-so-delicious!

Chicken scallopini ingredients

It takes less than 10 ingredients to whip up some mouthwatering Italian-inspired comfort food!

• Chicken breasts — You want to get boneless, skinless chicken breasts and pound them thin to ensure even cooking.
• Flour — You can use white wheat or all-purpose flour.
• Butter — This adds a wonderful richness. I recommend using unsalted to give you more control over the salt content.
• Olive oil — Combined with the butter, this helps crisp up the chicken to golden perfection.
• Salt — Adjust to taste. A pinch really brings out the flavors of the chicken and the sauce.
• Lemon juice — Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best results.
• Capers — These add a briny, tangy punch to the sauce.
• Parsley — I like to sprinkle over the dish right before serving to add a fresh, herby note.
• Lemon slices — These are great for garnishing and adding an extra pop of acidity.

How to make chicken scallopini

Step 1: Place the chicken breast on a cutting board. Hold your knife parallel to the cutting board and cut the chicken breast in half so you end up with very thin and wide pieces.

Step 2: Place each piece of chicken between two slices of wax paper and pound until it’s ¼-inch thick.

Step 3: Spread the flour out on a plate. Coat both sides of each piece of chicken with flour.

Step 4: In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt over medium-high heat.

Step 5: Once the pan is hot, add the chicken and brown on both sides until it’s fully cooked (about 5 minutes, flipping halfway through). Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and keep it warm.

Step 6: Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and olive oil plus sea salt to the same skillet. Stir in the lemon juice and capers and heat until warmed through.

Step 7: To serve, pour the sauce over the chicken and garnish with parsley and lemon slices.

All that’s left to do is dig in!

What to serve with this chicken dish

The traditional side for chicken scallopini is pasta, but I usually make steamed broccoli or other low-carb veggies to serve on the side to reduce the carbs. You can’t go wrong with adding a little green to your plate!

If you’re in the mood for serious comfort, I recommend serving it with whole wheat flax dinner rolls, cauliflower rice, or celery root fries to soak up the sauce.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for a lighter variation, you could always pair it with a salad. Lemony romaine and avocado salad would be a great option.