Chicken Piccata – Easy Cheesecake Factory  Copycat

A lemony pasta dish that’s surprisingly simple (but tastes like a whole production)

This Chicken Piccata recipe is a homemade version of the Cheesecake Factory classic — thin, golden chicken cutlets with a creamy lemon caper sauce over angel hair pasta. It’s tangy, buttery, and comes together fast enough for a weeknight but still feels like you tried.

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Quick Summary

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 25 minutes
• Flavor: Bright, creamy, and a little tangy
• Great for: Date nights, solo upgrades, leftovers that don’t feel sad

Why I Like This Recipe

Honestly? No plan. I just wanted something warm with lemon. Threw this together on a random Tuesday, and now I make it on purpose. The sauce takes like 10 minutes, the pasta’s quick, and the whole thing feels way fancier than it actually is. I’ve made it with wine, with broth, even with boxed pasta and whatever butter I had left — still worked every time.

Ingredients

• 12 oz angel hair pasta
• 4 boneless chicken breast halves (about 6 oz each)
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1¼ tsp salt, divided
• ¾ tsp black pepper, divided
• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 4 tbsp butter, divided
• ¾ lb mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 4 tsp capers, drained
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• Optional: lemon slices, grated parmesan

How To Make Chicken Piccata 

1. Boil the pasta: Angel hair cooks super fast — like 3–4 minutes. Drain it and toss with a bit of oil so it doesn’t stick together.
2. Prep the chicken: Flatten the chicken to ¼-inch thick using plastic wrap and a mallet (or a heavy pan). Season both sides.
3. Flour + sear: Dredge in a mix of flour, salt, and pepper. Cook in olive oil + butter until golden on both sides (about 4 mins per side). Set aside.
4. Cook mushrooms: Add more oil + butter to the same pan. Sauté mushrooms until browned and soft.
5. Make the sauce: Pour in the wine (or broth) and lemon juice. Scrape up the browned bits and let it reduce for 5–7 mins.
6. Finish it off: Lower heat. Stir in cream, capers, and seasoning. Don’t let it boil. Return the chicken to the pan and warm through.
7. Plate + serve: Serve over pasta. Spoon sauce and mushrooms on top. Add parsley, lemon, and parm if you’re feeling it.

Tips for Success

• Pound the chicken evenly — makes cooking way easier.
• Use fresh lemon juice, not bottled — it actually matters.
• Add the cream after the heat’s down. Don’t rush or it’ll split.
• Sauce too thin? Let it reduce a bit more before adding the cream.

Storage and Reheating

• Fridge: Store chicken and pasta separately if you can — keeps better that way. Good for 2–3 days.
• Freezer: Freeze just the chicken and sauce, not the pasta. Reheat gently on the stove.
• Reheat: Low and slow in a skillet with a splash of broth or cream. Microwave works but can overcook the sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I use a different pasta?
  Yeah, spaghetti or linguine works fine. Angel hair just cooks faster.
• Do I need to use wine?
  Nope. Chicken broth does the trick. The flavor’s slightly different but still good.
• Can I leave out the capers?
  Sure, but they add a salty pop that balances the sauce. Try it once at least.
• Is it very lemony?
  It’s noticeable but not overwhelming. Cut back a bit if you’re not big on lemon.
• What kind of cream should I use?
  Heavy cream works best. Milk might curdle and won’t thicken the same way.

Common Mistakes and How to Dodge Them

• Boiling the cream: It’ll split. Always reduce heat first, then stir it in gently.
• Skipping the chicken pound-down: If it’s uneven, it’ll cook uneven. And take forever. Just flatten it a bit — worth it.
• Overcrowding the pan: If your chicken’s squished, it steams instead of sears. Do it in batches if you need to.
• Not reducing the sauce enough: Thin sauce = meh flavor. Let it bubble and reduce before adding cream.
• Forgetting to season in layers: The flour, the mushrooms, the sauce — each part needs its own bit of salt and pepper.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

• Calories: 640 kcal
• Total Fat: 34g
• Saturated Fat: 16g
• Cholesterol: 165mg
• Sodium: 730mg
• Potassium: 650mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 40g
• Dietary Fiber: 2g
• Sugars: 3g
• Protein: 43g

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