Chicken scallopini is a thin chicken cutlet, gently pounded until tender then sautéed and finished with a quick zesty sauce. It is simple, ready in no time and 100% satisfying.
There are many variations of this dish, but this is my Mediterranean-style lemon chicken (not the sweet, sticky version you might know from Chinese restaurants), but something brighter, fresher, and far more comforting. Think crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, then swirled in a luscious lemon-butter sauce that’s made for soaking up with warm bread.
What I love most is how fast this comes together. In 10 minutes using one pan you will have an authentic Italian dish without any stress or prep.
Butter gives the sauce richness, extra virgin olive oil adds depth, and also the lemon cuts straight through with that beautiful citrusy acidity. We used lemons from my father-in-law’s garden, completely organic and bursting with flavour, and you really can taste the difference.
Watch: I Make This QUICK Chicken Scallopini Recipe Every Single Week Scaloppine al Limone
This Chicken Scallopini is So Tender It Practically Melts in Your Mouth
Vincenzo’s Plate on How to Make Chicken Scallopini
Substitute the chicken for veal
You can swap the chicken for veal if you prefer. Just pound it nice and thin and cook it quickly, exactly the same way. Both work beautifully.
Any Herb Works
Parsley, basil, oregano, rosemary… use what you love and what you have. This dish is very forgiving, and fresh herbs will always bring extra aroma and personality.
Flour Is Your Secret Weapon
Make sure the chicken is lightly coated on all sides with flour. This isn’t just for colour, it’s what helps the sauce turn silky and creamy once the lemon and butter hit the pan. Don’t skip it.
Why I use fresh lemons
You can use bottled lemon juice if you’re in a pinch, but freshly squeezed lemon really makes Chicken Scallopini sing. If you’re using supermarket lemons, you’ll usually need about 4–5 lemons to get enough juice to really infuse the chicken.
Zest Is Optional
For extra freshness, you can zest the lemon and add the zest to the pan while cooking the chicken. It lifts the flavor beautifully. We didn’t include it in this recipe to keep things simple, but feel free to add it if you love a stonger lemon hit.
Any Pan Will Do
You don’t need a fancy pan to make great scallopini. Large skillet, stainless steel, ceramic, or non-stick all work well. I used my favorite Scanpan frying pan for this recipe because it gives fantastic heat control, but use whatever you have at home, just keep moving it around if you are worried it might stick.
How to Serve Chicken Scallopini
Lay the golden chicken slices onto a warm plate, spoon over the glossy lemon-butter sauce, and finish with fresh thyme. For added freshness, add a sprinkle of parsley as a garnish. Make sure every piece is coated in that silky sauce, then serve immediately while it’s hot and glistening.
If you wait too long the sauce can thicken and dry so may not be as pleasant to eat.
Chicken Scallopini
Print Recipe
Equipment
- Baking Paper
- Cutting board
- Meat mallet
- knife
- Mini strainer
- bowl
- Frying pan
Ingredients
- 600 g / 1.32 lb chicken fillets
- 100 g / 3.5 oz butter
- Extra virgin olive oil, EVOO
- 3 lemons
- A fresh bunch of thyme
- A bowl of flour, for coating the fillets
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh parsley, optional for decoration
Instructions
- Place 2 chicken fillets between sheets of baking paper on a cutting board. Using the flat side of a meat mallet (not the spiky one), gently pound them until evenly thin. Don’t smash them, just flatten nicely. Set aside and repeat with the remaining fillets.
- Add flour to a bowl and lightly coat each fillet, making sure all sides and edges are coated. Shake off any excess flour and place them side by side, not stacked. This helps keep them crisp later.
- Cut the lemons in half and squeeze out the juice, using a small strainer to catch the seeds (or use a lemon juicer for ease if you have one). Set the juice aside, you’ll use it later.
- Place a frying pan over medium-low heat. Add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and ¾ of the butter, reserving about 25 g for later.
- Add the thyme to the pan and if using lemon zest, add it now too. You can also add a few lemon slices at this stage for extra flavour. Let everything gently melt and infuse for about 2 minutes.
- Once the butter has melted and is gently bubbling, remove the thyme and lemon slices. Add the chicken fillets to the pan and cook for about 2 minutes per side. While cooking, drizzle a little lemon juice over the chicken, but be sure to keep some aside for the sauce.
- Once the chicken is cooked through and beautifully golden, remove it from the pan and set aside. Wipe the pan clean, then add the remaining butter. Once melted, turn the heat off, add the remaining lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of flour, and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth and silky.
Video
E ora si mangia, Vincenzo’s Plate….Enjoy!
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Enjoyed This Chicken Scallopini? Here’s What to Cook Next
- VEAL SALTIMBOCCA RECIPE – A true Roman classic, where tender veal meets salty prosciutto and fragrant sage, brought together by a silky butter and white wine sauce.
- SPAGHETTI AL LIMONE – Spaghetti al Limone is sunshine in a bowl. Bright lemon, silky olive oil, and sharp pecorino cheese come together to create a pasta that’s refreshing and surprisingly comforting.
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