What to Serve with Chicken Piccata: 15 Best Side Dishes
If you’re wondering what to serve with chicken piccata, the short answer is anything that can either soak up that bright, buttery lemon caper sauce or offer a cool, crisp contrast to it. Chicken piccata is one of those dishes that looks fancy on the plate but comes together in well under 30 minutes, which makes the side dish decision the only real thing standing between you and dinner. Below you’ll find pasta, potatoes, salads, vegetables, bread and wine pairings, plus a few notes from testing this pairing question in my own kitchen more times than I can count.
What to Serve with Chicken Piccata: Quick Answer
The best sides for chicken piccata are ones that let the tangy lemon and caper sauce shine instead of competing with it. Angel hair pasta, mashed potatoes, roasted asparagus, a crisp green salad and crusty garlic bread are the five most reliable options, since each one either absorbs the sauce or balances its acidity. A dry white wine, like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio, rounds the meal out nicely.
Beyond those five staples, there’s a whole range of sides worth rotating through depending on the occasion, the season and how much time you actually have on a weeknight.
Best Pasta and Rice Sides for Chicken Piccata
Pasta is the classic answer for a reason. The thin, tangy piccata sauce clings to noodles far better than it does to a plate, so almost nothing goes to waste.
Angel hair pasta is the go-to choice among most Italian home cooks, since its delicate strands soak up the lemon sauce without becoming heavy. Spaghetti and buttered egg noodles work nearly as well if that’s what’s in the pantry.
Lemon garlic herb rice echoes the citrus in the sauce instead of fighting it, and it’s an easy way to keep the meal gluten-free. A creamy Parmesan risotto is the more indulgent version of this idea, and it’s worth the extra fifteen minutes for a dinner party.
Whole wheat pasta or brown rice are the swaps I reach for when I want the same comforting base with a bit more fiber, and they still pick up the sauce just fine.
Best Potato Sides for Chicken Piccata
Potatoes are the other classic pairing, and honestly, it’s hard to go wrong here.
Mashed potatoes turn chicken piccata into total comfort food. Spoon the sauce right over the top and you’ve essentially built a built-in gravy. Garlic mashed or a smoked gouda version both work beautifully if you want something a little richer.
Roasted or smashed potatoes bring texture to the plate that mashed potatoes can’t. Crispy edges and a fluffy center hold up well against the sauce, and air fryer smashed potatoes are the fastest version if you’re short on oven space.
Polenta is a slightly less obvious choice, but its creamy, slightly grainy texture is an excellent match for the buttery sauce, especially in the colder months.
Fresh Salads That Pair with Chicken Piccata
Because chicken piccata is rich and lemony, a simple, cool salad on the side keeps the whole plate from feeling heavy.
A basic green salad with a light vinaigrette is the easiest option and genuinely the one I make most often on a weeknight. It takes five minutes and gives your palate a break between bites of chicken.
Arugula with lemon and shaved Parmesan doubles down on the citrus theme, and the peppery greens are a nice contrast to the rich, savory sauce.
Caesar salad is a slightly more indulgent option that still works, especially if you’re leaning into the Italian-American theme of the meal.
Greek salad, with cucumber, tomato, feta and olives, is a good pick if you want something more substantial or you’re serving a crowd.
Roasted and Sautéed Vegetables to Round Out the Plate
If you’d rather keep the meal lighter, a simple vegetable side does the job without competing with the chicken.
Roasted or sautéed asparagus, tossed with a little Parmesan, is one of the most popular pairings for a reason. It’s fast, it’s green, and the slight char plays well with the lemon sauce.
Green beans, blanched or roasted, are another reliable option, especially with a squeeze of lemon and some toasted almonds.
Broccolini, broccoli or Brussels sprouts roasted with salt, pepper and a little garlic all work here too. I usually pick whichever one is freshest at the store that week, since the piccata sauce is forgiving enough to pair with almost any roasted green vegetable.
Sautéed spinach is the fastest option of the bunch. It wilts in about two minutes in the same pan you used for the chicken, which cuts down on dishes.
Bread Sides for Soaking Up the Lemon Sauce
Chicken piccata sauce is too good to leave on the plate, and bread is the simplest way to make sure none of it does.
Garlic bread is the classic choice, and a cheesy version with mozzarella and Parmesan turns it into a side dish in its own right rather than just an afterthought.
A crusty baguette or artisan no-knead bread works just as well if you want something a little less rich, and it’s sturdy enough to actually mop up the sauce without falling apart.
Warm dinner rolls are the softer, more casual option, and they’re an easy addition if you’re already making a full spread for guests.
What Wine Goes with Chicken Piccata?
A dry white wine is almost always the right call here, since the acidity in the wine mirrors the lemon in the sauce instead of clashing with it.
Sauvignon Blanc is the most commonly recommended pairing, thanks to its bright citrus notes and crisp finish. Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris are close seconds if you want something slightly softer. An unoaked Chardonnay also works well, since its fruitiness balances the briny capers, but a heavily oaked or buttery Chardonnay can overpower the dish, so it’s worth checking the label. If you’re avoiding wine altogether, a glass of sparkling water with lemon does a surprisingly good job of echoing the sauce.
Building a Complete Chicken Piccata Menu
If you’re planning chicken piccata for a dinner party rather than a weeknight, it helps to think about the meal in three parts: a starter, the main plate, and something sweet to finish.
For a starter, keep it light so it doesn’t compete with the richness of the piccata sauce later on. A small fennel and orange salad or a simple bruschetta with tomato and basil both work well, since the citrus and acidity set the tone for the lemon flavors to come. Soup is another option if you’re serving a crowd on a cooler night, though I’d steer toward something brothy rather than cream-based, since the piccata sauce is already rich enough on its own.
For the main plate, one starch and one vegetable or salad is usually plenty. Angel hair pasta with roasted asparagus, or mashed potatoes with a simple green salad, both hit the right balance without turning dinner into a five-dish production. If you’re hosting, garlic bread is worth adding regardless of what else you serve, since guests will inevitably want something to mop up the extra sauce in the pan.
For dessert, something citrus-forward continues the theme nicely. A lemon panna cotta or a simple lemon sorbet keeps things light after a rich main course. If your guests would rather have something more indulgent, tiramisu is a classic Italian-American finish that never feels out of place after chicken piccata.
A Few Notes from My Own Kitchen
After making chicken piccata more times than I can count, a few small things have made the biggest difference in how the whole meal comes together. First, whatever starch you choose, cook it while the chicken rests, not before. The sauce thickens slightly as it sits, and a starch that’s gone cold won’t pick up nearly as much flavor as one that’s still warm. Second, if you’re serving a salad, dress it at the table rather than in the kitchen. The bright vinaigrette flavors read as fresher next to the warm, buttery piccata sauce than a salad that’s been sitting dressed for ten minutes. Finally, don’t skip the bread, even if you’re already serving pasta or rice. There’s always a little sauce left in the pan that a starch alone won’t fully catch, and it’s the part of the meal people tend to remember.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is chicken piccata healthy?
Yes, chicken piccata is a relatively healthy dish when made with lean chicken breast and olive oil or a light amount of butter. It’s naturally high in protein, and capers add antioxidants without adding many calories, so the dish itself is lighter than it tastes.
What pasta goes best with chicken piccata?
Angel hair pasta is generally considered the best match because its thin strands pick up the lemon caper sauce without becoming heavy. Spaghetti, linguine and buttered egg noodles are all solid substitutes if angel hair isn’t available.
Can you serve chicken piccata with rice?
Yes, rice is a great option, especially a lemon garlic herb rice or a simple white rice pilaf. The grains soak up the sauce in much the same way pasta does, and it’s an easy way to make the meal gluten-free.
What wine pairs with chicken piccata?
A dry white wine with good acidity works best, particularly Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio or an unoaked Chardonnay. All three complement the lemony, briny sauce without overwhelming the dish.
Chicken piccata is one of those meals where the side dish really does make the difference between a quick weeknight plate and something that feels like it came from an actual Italian trattoria. Start with one starch, one vegetable or salad, and a glass of something dry and citrusy, and you’ve got a complete meal without much extra effort. Try one of these pairings the next time chicken piccata is on the menu, and let us know in the comments which combination became your new go-to.
