There are so many classic dishes from Italian cuisine that have integrated themselves firmly into cultures all over the world. From pizza to pasta, there is a little bit of Italy everywhere. Though pizza is delicious, it is less impressive than the more refined and elegant classic Italian dishes like Italian lemon chicken, also known as lemon chicken piccata.
Italian lemon chicken is very easy to make but is as delicious and impressive on the plate as a more complex entrée would be. That being said, it would be odd to serve lemon chicken alone without any side dishes.
6 Dishes to Serve with Lemon Chicken
Lemon chicken combines two basic ingredients (lemon and chicken) to create a classic pairing that will leave your tastebuds buzzing from start to finish.
When deciding what to serve alongside the lemon chicken, you want to choose a dish that will not only make your meal more filling but also that will help to make the chicken the start of your plate.Â
So, here are the best 6 dishes to serve with your Italian lemon chicken on your next romantic date night:Â
1) Rosemary Roast Potatoes
Few things pair better with sauteed chicken breast than roast potatoes. Better yet, very few people will turn their nose up at wonderfully fluffy, crispy roast potatoes, making them an instant winner no matter your dinner guests.
You could just make roast potatoes that are lightly salted. They will not overpower the lemon chicken in any way and can still help to bulk out your plate. However, adding a sprinkling of rosemary to the potatoes before they roast can ground the lemon chicken in a more earthy flavour.
Rosemary is considered to be a romantic herb, tying in perfectly with your date night lemon chicken.
But the citrusy notes to the herb make it pair so well with the lemon chicken in the first place. Then when you get the earthy, sage aftertaste of the rosemary, it makes your whole dish feel complete.Â
For a more complete side dish, roast your potatoes in olive oil. It is the most widely used oil in Italian cuisine, including in sauces, pasta and an array of protein rubs.
The olive oil’s slight fruitiness with the rosemary’s citrusy earthiness will emphasise the key elements of your Italian lemon chicken while also making the dish stand out as a distinctly Italian dish.Â
2) Buttered Spaghetti
A key element of Italian lemon chicken is the butter in which the chicken breast is sauteed, keeping the chicken moist but crispy.
Because butter is such a key element in the chicken, plain buttered spaghetti can go a long way in making your lemon chicken a whole meal.Â
Spaghetti is a standard go-to for any Italian meal.
You will almost always have some kind of spaghetti or pasta on hand to make a simple buttered spaghetti side dish, so you won’t have to worry about emptying your wallet for the perfect side dish.
Like the lemon chicken itself, buttered spaghetti is notoriously easy to make, requiring even less effort than the chicken. The biggest challenge you will face when making buttered spaghetti will be ensuring that the spaghetti is cooked in time for your chicken to be served.Â
If you are not the best at keeping track of your cooking times in the kitchen, cook your spaghetti first. Then drain them and toss them in a few tablespoons of olive oil.
This will not only add to the spaghetti’s flavour but will also stop them from sticking together until you are ready to use them.Â
3) Garlic Steamed Rice
If you are bored of pairing plain spaghetti with your Italian dishes, mix it up a little with some rice.
Like spaghetti, rice—especially steamed rice—can make an underwhelming dish very filling. Rice is also an affordable way to make your plate more filling, so it is an ideal side dish when you are serving a large number of people.Â
However, regular steamed rice can be quite boring. It lacks flavour and excitement which may reflect poorly on your lemon chicken as a whole.
That is why you should add plenty of garlic and seasoning to the rice to make it a more lively and appetising side dish worthy of your lemon chicken.Â
Garlic is included in countless dishes and is another popular pairing for both chicken and lemon. As such, rice flavoured with a generous amount of garlic will not clash with your Italian lemon chicken but rather meld well with it.
4) Summer Salad (With Citrus Dressing)
For those hot summer nights when you want to minimise the amount of time you spend in your hot kitchen, a simple leafy salad can act as the perfect summertime side dish for Italian lemon chicken.
There are several iconic salads within Italian cuisine itself that you could prepare to pair with your lemon chicken. Still, so long as the salad is refreshing and more on the sweeter side, you can use any salad you wish.Â
A sure way to ensure that your salad will pair well with your lemon chicken, regardless of the type of salad you choose, is to include a citrus dressing.
This will play on the key citrusy sweetness of the lemon chicken without making the salad itself too overwhelming or similar to the lemon chicken.Â
5) Roasted Broccoli
Lemon chicken can be quite tangy and fresh when it is cooked with plenty of lemon so having something to contrast that, like roasted broccoli, is a must.
Add broccoli to a colander and then pour over a kettle of boiling water. This is a great way to soften the broccoli a little without having to cook it. You can then dry it, toss it with some oil and roast it in a hot oven for 30 minutes or so.
6) Ciabatta
If you want to keep things simple (yet iconically Italian), a few slices of ciabatta will work well. The big holes in the airy bread will work well at soaking up any sauce left in the bottle of your bowl.
And, with it being a carb, it will keep you nice and full. Don’t forget to add lashings of butter, too, of course!
Lemon Chicken Accompaniments FAQs
Do you still have questions about what to serve alongside lemon chicken? Then these FAQs might help you out:
Yes, a salad would work well with the richness of lemon chicken but you don’t want the hot sauce mixing with the salad as it will wilt the leaves. Instead, put the salad in a side dish.
Generally, lemon chicken will have some pan juices that will work well as the sauce. If you’d rather try something else, then try making aioli or combine some hot sauce and mayonnaise for a quick dipping sauce.
Sources
Where we obtain our information and verify the facts in this article:
Taste Atlas
Different types of Italian bread and when to serve them.
Food Network
Roasted rosemary potatoes recipe.
Simply Recipes
Roasted broccoli recipe.
Acacia may be a freelance writer by day, but they are a food fanatic by night. They are always trying out new recipes or finding different ways to elevate classical dishes. But their biggest culinary aim is to educate others on the basics of the kitchen so that they too can enjoy delicious food.
