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This easy Chicken Scallopini Recipe turns thin chicken cutlets into a restaurant-worthy dinner in about 30 minutes. Lightly dredged chicken is pan-seared until golden, then finished in a creamy lemon garlic sauce that’s buttery, bright and packed with flavor. Even better, everything comes together in one skillet.
Table of Contents
- Kellie’s Note You Had Me At Scallopini
- Why You’ll Love My Chicken Scallopini
- Ingredients For Chicken Scallopini
- How to Make Chicken Scallopini
- Tips for the Best Chicken Scallopini
- Chicken Scallopini Variations
- Storage, Make Ahead and Reheating
- What to Serve with Chicken Scallopini
- More Easy Chicken Recipes
- Lemon Chicken Scallopini Recipe
Kellie’s Note
You Had Me At Scallopini
I love ordering Chicken Scallopini at restaurants. It’s always, juicy, tender and swimming in some type of buttery sauce on top of pasta. What I realized after a few dinners is that this recipe is so simple to make at home.
Chicken Scallopini (aka chicken scaloppine) is, basically, just thinly sliced chicken breast that’s dredged in flour and pan sauteed until golden brown. It’s then drenched in a creamy lemon garlic sauce. But you can use whatever sauce you’d like, I’ve even served it with my creamy mushroom soup over it with a round of applause. Ok, maybe the family didn’t applaud but they did love it.
Scallopini can be any type of meat served sliced thin and cooked using the dredge, pan-sear method. You can replace the chicken with veal or beef to mix things up during the week.
Chicken Scallopini comes from the Italian word “scaloppine,” which translates to “small scallops” but has now taken on the meaning of a piece of thinly sliced meat.
Why You’ll Love My Chicken Scallopini
Chicken dinners are always in heavy rotation at our house, so anytime I find one that everyone will eat without complaints, it earns a permanent spot on the menu. This Chicken Scallopini has been one of those recipes for years.
- Easy to customize. Add mushrooms, capers or swap the wine for chicken stock.
- Quick and easy. It’s a restaurant-worthy chicken dinner you can make on a weeknight.
- One skillet. The chicken and creamy lemon sauce are made in the same pan.
- Big flavor. Lemon, garlic, white wine and butter make the sauce taste anything but boring.
- Family friendly. The sauce is creamy without overpowering the chicken.
Ingredients For Chicken Scallopini
You don’t need anything fancy for this easy chicken dinner. Most of the ingredients are things I usually have hanging around my kitchen.
- Chicken Breasts – Slice boneless, skinless chicken breasts horizontally into thin cutlets. You can also start with store-bought chicken cutlets to save time.
- Flour – A light coating helps the chicken brown while also giving the pan sauce a little body.
- Seasonings – Garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt and black pepper add flavor to the chicken before it hits the skillet.
- Olive Oil – For pan-searing the chicken. Another neutral cooking oil will also work.
- Onion and Garlic – The savory base of the sauce. Shallot can be substituted for the onion.
- Lemon – I use both fresh lemon zest and juice for plenty of bright citrus flavor.
- Dry White Wine – Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio or another dry white wine works well. You can substitute additional chicken stock if you prefer not to cook with wine.
- Chicken Stock – Forms the base of the pan sauce and picks up all those browned bits from the skillet.
- Butter – Adds richness and gives the sauce a silky finish.
- Half and Half or Heavy Cream – Either works. Heavy cream gives you a richer sauce while half and half keeps things a little lighter.
How to Make Chicken Scallopini
- Prepare the chicken. Slice the chicken breasts horizontally into thin cutlets. If necessary, gently pound thicker areas so the pieces are relatively even.
- Dredge. Combine the flour and seasonings, then lightly coat both sides of each chicken cutlet. Shake off any excess.
- Sear the chicken. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and cook the chicken until golden on both sides. Transfer to a plate.
- Build the sauce. Cook the onion until softened, then add the garlic and lemon zest. Deglaze the skillet with wine, scraping up the browned bits.
- Finish the sauce. Add the chicken stock, lemon juice and butter. Reduce the heat before stirring in the half and half or cream.
- Bring it together. Return the chicken to the skillet and gently cook until warmed through and the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F. Spoon the lemon cream sauce over the chicken and serve.
Tips for the Best Chicken Scallopini
- Keep the chicken even. Thin, evenly sized cutlets cook quickly and are less likely to dry out.
- Shake off the extra flour. You only need a light coating. Too much flour can become gummy once you add the sauce.
- Start with a hot skillet. The oil should be shimmering before the chicken goes in so you get a golden crust instead of steaming it.
- Don’t crowd the pan. Cook the chicken in batches if necessary.
- Save those browned bits. Scraping the bottom of the skillet when you add the wine adds tons of flavor to the sauce.
- Lower the heat before adding dairy. Once the half and half or cream goes in, keep the sauce at a gentle heat rather than a hard boil.
- Use a thermometer. Chicken is done when the thickest part reaches 165°F.
This Cast Iron Skillet from Lodge is my favorite cookware. A true workhorse in the kitchen, this pan is priced under $30. A must have in your cooking arsenal.
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Chicken Scallopini Variations
One of the best things about scallopini is how easy it is to change the sauce.
- Make it extra creamy. Use heavy cream instead of half and half for a richer sauce.
- Add mushrooms. Sauté sliced cremini or white mushrooms before making the sauce.
- Make it piccata-style. Stir capers into the lemon sauce for a briny pop of flavor.
- Skip the wine. Substitute the same amount of chicken stock.
- Use shallots. Swap the onion for finely chopped shallot for a slightly milder flavor.
Storage, Make Ahead and Reheating
- Storage: Store leftover Chicken Scallopini with the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Make Ahead: You can slice the chicken into cutlets ahead of time and keep it covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook. I prefer making the sauce right before serving for the best texture.
- Reheating: Warm the chicken and sauce gently in a skillet over low heat. If the sauce has thickened in the refrigerator, add a splash of chicken stock or half and half to loosen it.
- Freezing: Because this sauce contains dairy, freezing the finished dish isn’t my first choice—the sauce can separate once thawed. If you want to prep farther ahead, freeze the chicken separately and make the sauce fresh when you’re ready to serve.
What to Serve with Chicken Scallopini
That creamy lemon sauce is basically begging for something to soak it up.
A few of my favorites are:
- Pasta or Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
- Jasmine Rice or risotto
- Mashed potatoes
- Roasted or Baked Asparagus
- Green beans
- A simple Wedge Salad
- Crusty Garlic bread
For an easy weeknight dinner, pasta and a green vegetable are usually my go-to.
If you’re looking for even more easy family friendly recipes, be sure to follow us over on Instagram and on Facebook!
More Easy Chicken Recipes
- The OG….BEST EVER Juicy Baked Chicken Breast recipe. 100,000 people agree!
- Chicken Tetrazzini is the one pot dinner filled with comfort.
- Easy Oven Roasted Chicken Breasts are so simple.
- Quick and simple Chicken Fried Steak! So good!
- Skip the take out with this easy Szechuan Chicken recipe.
- Marry Me Chicken
Lemon Chicken Scallopini Recipe
Equipment
- skillet
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced in half lengthwise. If necessary, gently pound thicker areas so the cutlets are an even thickness.
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup finely diced onion
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1/4 cup dry white wine, or chicken stock, if not using wine.
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2/3 cup half and half, or heavy cream
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
- Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture to coat on all sides. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. Flip the chicken over and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes or until the thickest part of the chicken registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
- Add the remaining oil to the skillet and stir in the onions. Cook the onions for 4-5 minutes or until softened and beginning to caramelize. Stir in the garlic and lemon zest. Cook for an additional minute.
- Stir in the wine and deglaze the pan by scraping up the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Continue cooking until the wine reduces by half, approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Add the chicken stock, lemon juice and butter. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat to low.
- Stir in the half and half reducing the heat to a simmer, do not boil or the sauce can separate. Return the chicken to the pan and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes or until cooked through.
- Serve the chicken with the sauce over pasta or rice, if desired.
Notes
- For even cooking, make sure the chicken cutlets are approximately the same thickness.
- Cook chicken in batches if necessary rather than crowding the skillet.
- Chicken is done when the thickest part reaches 165°F.
- Dry white wine can be replaced with an equal amount of chicken stock.
- Once the half and half or cream is added, keep the heat low and avoid boiling the sauce.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of chicken stock or cream if needed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was simple & delicious! I made this just as the recipe stated. Instead of rice I put the lemony sauce over lemon pasta. Perfecto!
I’m so happy you liked it! It’s definitely one of our top 10 reader favorites!
I made this tonight and it was delicious!
I’m so glad you loved it!