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Kelli Foster
Kelli FosterSenior Contributing Food Editor
Kelli is a Senior Contributing Food Editor for Kitchn. She's a graduate of the French Culinary Institute and author of the cookbooks, Plant-Based Buddha Bowls, The Probiotic Kitchen, Buddha Bowls, and Everyday Freekeh Meals. She lives in New Jersey.
updated Sep 1, 2023
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Chicken scallopini is simple, straightforward, and thanks to the bath of buttery lemon-white wine sauce, is far, far greater than the sum of its parts.
Serves4Prep12 minutes to 15 minutesCook13 minutes to 17 minutesJump to Recipe
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If you’ve ever stared down a pack of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and wondered how to turn it into something delicious, the answer is simple: Make chicken scallopini. It’s one of my go-to dishes when I want a meal that my family is guaranteed to devour.
Chicken scallopini calls on a simple technique that involves butterflying and pounding the chicken breasts until they’re super-thin, dredging them in flour, and then quickly pan-searing them (a cast iron skillet is great for this). Because they’re so thin, the chicken breasts cook quickly and evenly for an end result that’s crispy at the edges and tender and juicy in the middle.
You can serve chicken scallopini with any sauce you like; here, it’s finished in a bath of buttery lemon-white wine sauce that’s far, far greater than the sum of its parts. Seriously — you’ll want to mop up every last drop.
What Does Scallopini Mean in Cooking?
Scallopini (or scallopine) refers to thinly sliced cuts of meat, such as chicken, veal, or pork. It’s a method of preparation and can be finished with a variety of different sauces, often piccata and Marsala.
How Do You Cut Chicken Breast for Scallopini?
To make chicken scallopini, you’ll start by butterflying boneless chicken breasts. Starting at the thickest end of the chicken breast, and holding your knife parallel to the cutting board, you’ll cut the boneless, skinless chicken breasts in half. The end result will be chicken breasts that are half as thick.
Then, working with one piece of chicken at a time,place inside a gallon zip-top bag and seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Pound with the flat side of a meat tenderizer, rolling pin, or small skillet to an even 1/4-inch thickness. This will ensure the chicken cooks evenly.
What’s the Difference Between Chicken Scallopini and Chicken Piccata?
Piccata refers to a sauce (made with lemon, capers, broth, and butter) that’s often partnered with chicken, while scallopini refers to the method for preparing the chicken.
Chicken scallopini can be finished with piccata sauce, or another sauce. Likewise, Piccata sauce can be partnered with chicken scallopini or with other proteins, like pork chops, salmon, or even meatballs.
Chicken Scallopini
Chicken scallopini is simple, straightforward, and thanks to the bath of buttery lemon-white wine sauce, is far, far greater than the sum of its parts.
Prep time 12 minutes to 15 minutes
Cook time 13 minutes to 17 minutes
Serves 4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1 large
lemon
- 5 to 6
sprigs fresh parsley
- 2 large
boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 pounds total)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons
kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup
all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons
olive oil, divided
- 1/2 cup
dry white wine
- 1/2 cup
low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons
unsalted butter
Instructions
Juice 1 large lemon until you have 1/4 cup. Pick the leaves from 5 to 6 fresh parsley sprigs until you have 2 tablespoons and coarsely chop.
Starting at the thickest end and holding your knife parallel to the cutting board, cut 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts in half (also known as butterflying). Working with 1 piece of chicken at a time, place inside a gallon zip-top bag and seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Pound with the flat side of a meat mallet, rolling pin, or small skillet to an even 1/4-inch thickness.
Season the chicken all over with 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Place 1/4 cup all-purpose flour in a pie plate or large, deep plate. Dredge 1 piece of chicken in the flour until evenly coated, then pat to remove any excess flour. Place on a large plate or cutting board and repeat with the remaining chicken, placing them in a single layer.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add 2 pieces of the chicken in a single layer and cook until cooked through, golden brown, and slightly crispy, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a large plate or serving platter and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm. If the pan is dry, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and repeat cooking the remaining chicken.
Add 1/2 cup dry white wine to the pan and cook until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Add the lemon juice, 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook until glossy, slightly thickened, and slightly darker in color, about 3 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and swirl around the pan until melted.
Pour the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with the parsley.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
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