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Chicken Scallopini

This Chicken Scallopini recipe has golden chicken cutlets that are smothered in a tomato-based wine reduction sauce and served with spaghetti. It may sound fancy, but this budget-friendly recipe has the simplest ingredients that are probably right in your pantry! 

Don’t forget a side of Garlic Bread with Cheese!

Chicken breast on top of a pile of spaghetti with a red chicken scallopini sauce with sliced onions and parsley.

You’re going to be shocked to find how much this recipe tastes like it’s straight from a fancy restaurant. And I can tell you the reason for that.

This recipe is from a fancy restaurant.

My Mother in Law was able to get her hands on this recipe from a restaurant in New York. (Which is very surprising when you look at the ingredients, they’re extremely simple.)

When you make this for the first time, you’re going to probably question how it’s going to turn out. It’s just such a unique and interesting combination of simple ingredients but they come together in the best way. You’ll see.

What is Chicken Scallopini?

“Scaloppine”   refers to thin cutlets of meat (typically chicken, pork, or veal), that’s dredged in flour, fried, and smothered in a wine reduction sauce.

The most common scallopini recipes online have a lemon reduction sauce, similar to chicken piccata. This recipe is a tomato-based sauce with a white wine reduction.

It might sound fancy, but the ingredients and steps in this recipe are very straightforward, you got this.

How to Make it

See recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities and full instructions

Butterfly the chicken and cut the seam to create 2 thinner pieces of equal size.

Season with salt and pepper. Coat generously in flour. Cook in vegetable oil until each side is crisp and golden brown.

Remove the chicken and leave 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and the onion strings. Cook until softened, add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook for another 5 minutes.

Chicken cutlets on a plate next to a skillet with sliced onions.

Combine the gravy mix and 1 cup of cold water. Add to the pan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Add the tomato sauce.

Cover partially and cook for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, boil the pasta. Drain and add it to the sauce.

A skillet showing sauce being made for Chicken Scallopini sauce with spaghetti added to it.

Use kitchen tongs to toss and coat the pasta in the sauce.

Add the chicken back and spoon the sauce over it. Cover for 5 minutes to warm the chicken.

Serve!

A skillet with spaghetti and chicken in a red chicken scallopini sauce.

How to Cut Chicken for Scallopini

The key to a great chicken cutlet is getting nice thin slices of chicken.

I like to butterfly the chicken breast and cut the seam to create two thinner slices of equal size. From there, you can also pound the chicken to make it even thinner.

PRO TIP: Flash freeze the chicken for 20 minutes, this firms them up and makes them much easier to slice evenly.

A slice of chicken breast on top of a plate of spaghetti in a red scallopini sauce.

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Chicken breast on top of a pile of spaghetti with a red chicken scallopini sauce with sliced onions and parsley.

Chicken Scallopini

5 from 19 ratings
This Chicken Scallopini has crispy chicken cutlets smothered in a tomato wine reduction sauce with spaghetti. It may sound fancy, but this recipe is made with simple staple ingredients and is very budget friendly!

Ingredients

  • 1 packet Brown Gravy Mix + 1 cup cold water, or make my easy homemade brown gravy!
  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • salt/pepper to taste
  • ½ cup flour
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 Tablespoon salted butter
  • 3/4 yellow onion, sliced into thin strings
  • 1 Tablespoon garlic,, minced
  • 1 cup dry white wine, (you can substitute chicken broth)
  • 8 oz. Hunts tomato sauce
  • 3/4 lb. thin spaghetti

Instructions

  • Butterfly the chicken breasts and cut the seam to create two thinner pieces of equal size.
  • Season each side with salt and pepper. Dredge generously in the flour right before frying.
  • Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the chicken until golden brown on each side, the chicken will release from the pan when it's done searing. Fry in batches if necessary and add more oil as needed.
  • Set the chicken aside and reduce heat to medium. Leave 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan and add 1 tablespoon butter.
  • Add the onion strings, and cook over medium heat until very soft.
  • Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
  • Add the wine and cook for another 5 minutes.
  • Mix the gravy with one cup of cold water an add it to the skillet. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the tomato sauce.
  • Simmer over medium-low for about 15 minutes, partially covered. It will thicken as it continues to simmer.
  • Meanwhile, boil pasta according to package instructions. Drain well. Add to the sauce, use kitchen tongs to mix until well incorporated. Add the chicken and cover for 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

If you use my homemade brown gravy instead of a packet, there's no need to add any water, just use a cup of the homemade stuff! 😉
Don't forget a side of Garlic Bread with Cheese.

Nutrition

Calories: 560kcal, Carbohydrates: 83g, Protein: 26g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 44mg, Sodium: 399mg, Potassium: 676mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 350IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 42mg, Iron: 3mg
Did you try this recipe?Mention @TheCozyCook on Instagram or tag #thecozycook!

 

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53 comments on “Chicken Scallopini”

  1. I was skeptical to try this recipe because the ingredients sounded like an odd combination. I’m so glad we tried it because it was absolutely delicious!!!  Thank you for the recipe! 

    • Hi Tracy! I’m so happy that you took the plunge!! LOL. I never would have tried this ingredient combination of my own, my mother in law gave me this recipe and it’s a GEM on my blog. A hidden gem. Thanks so much for the review!! -Stephanie

  2. Any suggestions for white wine substitutions? 

  3. Very good. My husband raved over it. 

  4. Just devoured this dish. The sauce is not similar to anything like I’ve tried, and entirely delectable! Omg so good. Also fun to make! I seasoned the flour with seasoning salt before dredging. Served with a fresh salad and crescent rolls! My husband’s favorite carb 😉 Incorporating into the bi-weekly meal selection! Thank you!

    • Heyyy!! I am SO happy that you trusted me enough to give this recipe a try, because I know that the ingredients are not typical at all! Absolutely thrilled that you enjoyed it as much as we do in our house, it’s my husband’s all-time favorite! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review and comment, as always! It is SO appreciated! 🙂 -Stephanie

  5. Hi Stephanie,

    This was really good! Will make it again! Do you have any suggestions on spices or herbs that would be a good addition? I was thinking some garlic?

    • Hey Lauren! I’m so happy that you enjoyed this! You can absolutely add some garlic to this. I also think a little bit of rosemary and/or thyme would be good too!

  6. I made this and it’s amazing!!!!! Taste like it came right from an Italian restaurant. The second time I made it I made cutlets and added sautéed spinach and mozzarella on top like a Saltimobcca. Soooo good! Thank you for sharing! 

    • Hey Nicole! WOOOO!! I’m sooo happy! I’m so glad you gave this one a try, it’s a hidden gem on this blog. I went to my (now) husband’s house for the first time and his mom was making this, the day she gave me the recipe was a very happy day for me! 🙂 Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and let me know how it came out!! -Stephanie

  7. I’m excited to try this dish for my family. It looks so good.

  8. How many does this recipe serve? Or what is the serving size? Thank you for including the nutritional information!

  9. This sounds (and looks) amazing! I’m cooking for 9 people at an upcoming dinner party and I was wondering if this recipe can be made in advance and frozen? I would obviously then cook the pasta fresh before serving. I’ve never cooked a three course meal for that many people before so I want to make things as easy as possible for me on the day.

    I can’t wait to try it. Thank you for sharing!

    – Jacqui 🙂

    • Hey Jacqui! I totally understand wanting to relieve the pressure of hosting a dinner party! It’s so funny, because I just made this two days ago for a group at a lake house! If possible, I would recommend making the chicken and the sauce and refrigerating it for 2 to 3 days, then making the pasta fresh, and then tossing it all together, as opposed to freezing it! But you could freeze it If need be, you would just need to defrost it for about 24 hours before you toss it with the pasta. Enjoy and good luck friend! -Stephanie

  10. This came out great! I added mushrooms it was just perfect 👍

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