Recipes Dinner Pasta and Noodle Dishes Pasta Chicken Piccata Pasta 4.4 (12) 12 Reviews This recipe transforms classic chicken piccata into a pasta we can’t stop eating, with juicy chicken thighs cooked in a lemony, buttery sauce that clings to the pasta. By Anna Theoktisto Anna Theoktisto Anna Theoktisto is a recipe tester and developer. Anna has been working in Dotdash Meredith test kitchens since 2017, and her recipes and writing have appeared in over 10 nationally distributed print publications, as well as on various digital platforms. When not in the kitchen, Anna enjoys hiking with her son, husband, and two dogs, and fostering puppies for a local animal rescue group. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on February 13, 2025 Save Rate PRINT Share Total Time: 25 mins Servings: 4 Jump to recipe The best part of chicken piccata is the lemon, butter, and caper sauce, so we added some pasta to the mix to soak it all up. Radiatori pasta — a short, ruffled pasta shape said to have been created in the 1960s and named for its resemblance to radiators — features wavy ridges which increase the surface area and hold more of the lemony, buttery piccata sauce in each bite. Serve this pasta with a green salad with lemon vinaigrette and crusty bread for mopping up any buttery sauce and leftover capers. Frequently Asked Questions What are capers? Capers are the unopened flower buds of the shrub Capparis spinosa, where they grow alongside caper berries, the fruit of the plant. Capers are very small and must be harvested by hand, after which they're salted and pickled. Their briny flavors pack a punch in pasta and chicken dishes, as well as sauces like piccata. What is a substitute for radiatori pasta? If you can't find radiatori, fusilli, rotini, and rotelle are good substitutes. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Remove the pan from the heat before adding the cheese, and stir it in a bit at a time, along with the fresh chopped parsley, so it doesn’t clump up. For a firmer al dente texture, reduce the pasta cooking time by one minute. Suggested pairing Pair this pasta with a citrus-forward white, like Zenato Pinot Grigio delle Venezie. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 8 ounces uncooked radiatori pasta 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 6 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1/2 cup (4 ounces) dry white wine 1/4 cup drained capers 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter (2 ounces), cubed 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup) 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley Directions Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook according to package directions for al dente, about 8 minutes. (For firmer texture, reduce cooking time to 7 minutes.) Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Drain pasta; set aside. Sprinkle chicken with salt and black pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high until it just begins to smoke. Add chicken, and cook, undisturbed, until browned on 1 side, about 4 minutes. Stir and cook until evenly browned, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper to skillet, and cook until fragrant and starting to brown, about 1 minute. Add wine and capers. Bring to a boil, and reduce by half, about 1 minute. Add reserved pasta, 1/4 cup reserved pasta cooking liquid, butter, and lemon juice. Cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until sauce clings to pasta, about 3 minutes. (Add additional cooking liquid as needed.) Remove from heat, and stir in Parmesan and parsley. Serve with lemon wedges. Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Originally appeared in Food & Wine magazine, February 2025 Rate Print