This Chicken Scallopini recipe has golden bites of chicken that are smothered in a tomato-based wine reduction sauce and served with spaghetti. This is an easy meal that only needs a few simple ingredients!
Don’t forget a side of Garlic Bread with Cheese!
Chicken Scallopini
People often ask me what my favorite recipe on the blog is. And while that answer tends to change every day, this Chicken Scallopini recipe always comes to mind!
Believe it or not, this recipe is from a restaurant in New York. (Which is very surprising when you look at the ingredients.) My mother in law was able to get her hands on it and it’s one of the first dinner recipes I ever learned how to cook!
When you make this for the first time, you’re going to probably question how it’ll taste. 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. This recipe is a tomato-based sauce with a white wine reduction.
How to Make it
See recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities and full instructions
Dice the chicken and season with salt/pepper. Dredge in flour and sear in olive oil. Set aside. Deglaze the skillet with a little wine, then add onion slices and cook until very softened, almost caramelized. Add the garlic and seasonings.
Add remaining wine, tomato sauce, and gravy/water mixture. Bring to a boil and let it thicken for 30-45 seconds or so, then reduce to simmer. Add the chicken back and toss to combine.
Add cooked spaghetti and toss to combine. Serve! This is great with Garlic Bread with Cheese.
Pro Tips
- Wine: Sauvignon Blanc is the best wine to use in this recipe, followed by Chardonnay, and then Pinot Grigio. Chicken broth can be used if you don’t cook with wine, but wine really elevates the other flavors in a scallopini sauce.
- Tomato Sauce: I use Hunt’s Tomato Sauce. Passata can be used as well.
- Gravy: This recipe uses 1 packet of gravy + 1 cup of water. You can also prepare my homemade brown gravy and use 1 cup of that for this recipe.
- Onions: Don’t be afraid to let the onion slices soften for 20 full minutes or so, until they almost start to caramelize. This releases natural sugars which offsets the acidity from the tomatoes and wine to create a great balance of flavors.
- Chicken: Cut the chicken into evenly sized cubes so that they cook at an even rate.
- Pasta: I use slightly less than 3/4 lb. spaghetti for this as I like extra saucy pasta. Other varieties of pasta may also be used, including penne, ziti, and rotini!
Storage
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Leftovers do freeze well!
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- 12-inch skillet– Same one pictured in this recipe.
- 1 quart measuring cup with a spout– This is what I use to combine the sauce ingredients at the beginning. The spout makes it easy to add gradually.
- Pasta Strainer– I have this one and love it.
- Measuring Spoons– I have these magnetic ones which stay nice and organized in my utensil drawer.
- Kitchen Tongs– Makes it easy to handle the chicken and to toss the pasta in the sauce at the end.
Try These Next
Get My Free Meal Plan
I’ve got a Free Meal Plan with 7 of my super popular recipes (complete with grocery list)! Sign up for my email list and I’ll send it over now along with weekly dinner recipes!
And follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
Tried This Recipe?
Leave a review, I love hearing your feedback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Chicken Scallopini
Ingredients
- 1 packet Brown Gravy Mix (.87 oz.), or make my easy homemade brown gravy!
- 2 small boneless skinless chicken breasts
- salt/pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter, salted
- 1 small yellow onion, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup dry white wine, or chicken broth. See notes.
- 8 oz. tomato sauce, see notes
- 3/4 lb. thin spaghetti, or slightly less for saucier pasta.
Seasonings
- 1/2 teaspoon EACH: Italian seasoning, parsley, mustard powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a large measuring cup with a spout, mix the gravy packet with 1 cup of cold water until well-combined. Add the tomato sauce and seasonings and set aside.
- Cut the chicken into cubes of equal size and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with flour and toss to coat.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear for 3-4 minutes, until golden. Toss and cook on remaining sides until cooked through, about 3 more minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Turn heat off. Add 1/4 cup of the wine and set the heat to medium. Use a silicone spatula to "clean" the the bottom and the sides of the skillet, this will add more flavor to the sauce.
- Add butter and the sliced onions. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until very softened (almost caramelized), about 20 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add the remaining wine and bubble gently/reduce for 5 minutes.
- Add the gravy mixture (from step 1) to the skillet. Bring to a boil and let it thicken for 30 seconds or so, then reduce to a simmer. Add the chicken back.
- Cover partially while you boil pasta water for the spaghetti. Once a boil is reached, salt the water. (About 1/4 tbsp.) Cook the spaghetti to al dente and drain.
- Add the spaghetti to the sauce and toss to coat. Garnish with parsley and serve with Garlic Bread with Cheese!
Notes
- Wine: Sauvignon Blanc is the best wine to use in this recipe, followed by Chardonnay, and then Pinot Grigio. Chicken broth can be used if you don’t cook with wine, but wine really elevates the other flavors in a scallopini sauce.
- Tomato Sauce: I use Hunt's Tomato Sauce. Passata can be used as well.
- Gravy: This recipe uses 1 packet of gravy + 1 cup of water. You can also prepare my homemade brown gravy and use 1 cup of that for this recipe.
- Onions: Don't be afraid to let the onion slices soften for 20 full minutes or so, until they almost start to caramelize. This releases natural sugars which offsets the acidity from the tomatoes and wine to create a great balance of flavors.
- Chicken: Cut the chicken into evenly sized cubes so that they cook at an even rate.
- Pasta: I use slightly less than 3/4 lb. spaghetti for this as I like extra saucy pasta. Other varieties of pasta may also be used, including penne, ziti, and rotini!
Storage
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Leftovers do freeze well!
Nutritional information is an estimate and is per serving. There are 4 servings in this recipe.
Nutrition
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
Any suggestions for white wine substitutions?
I see in the printed recipe that you suggest Chicken broth. Thanks
Very good. My husband raved over it.
Hey Bobbie! That’s SO great, I love it when people try this recipe because I know they’re in for a great dinner! Thanks so much! 🙌🏻
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
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!
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
I’m excited to try this dish for my family. It looks so good.
Hey Jamie! You are absolutely going to love this recipe, it’s definitely a hidden gem on my blog! 🙂 ENJOY! -Stephanie
How many does this recipe serve? Or what is the serving size? Thank you for including the nutritional information!
Hi Kristin!
This makes four servings, it’s on the top left of the recipe card, can be really easy to miss! Enjoy! Have a great weekend! -Stephanie 😁
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
This came out great! I added mushrooms it was just perfect 👍