Chicken Piccata Ravioli

To download a cookbook-style copy of the recipe for Chicken Piccata Ravioli, click HERE.

A meal of homemade ravioli can be as satisfying to make as it is to serve and eat. It also affords some great opportunities to be creative with your fillings and sauces.

With that in mind, today’s recipe takes Chicken Piccata, that simple and very delicious restaurant favorite of browned chicken topped with a white wine and lemon sauce (and that is often served over pasta), and uses it as the basis for a unique, fresh ravioli dish. It’s a simple idea – the chicken is used to make the filling, and the wine and lemon sauce is used to top the finished ravioli – that’s a whole new way to look at ravioli.

Some Cook’s Notes before we begin.

• In the recipe below, we’ll be making our own pasta dough from scratch. It’s fun and not at all difficult, but if you still prefer not to make your own, store-bought wonton wrappers will work just fine.

• There are many ways of rolling and cutting pasta dough for ravioli. In the recipe below, I hand rolled the dough and used a ravioli stamp, but if you prefer other ways – rolling with a pasta machine, cutting with round cookie cutters, using a ravioli attachment on a stand mixer, etc. – feel free. The right way is any way that works for you.

• When we make the pasta dough in the recipe below, I combined the ingredients in a bowl. Some people do prefer the more traditional way of mixing the ingredients directly on the counter. As was the case with rolling and cutting the ravioli, there’s more than one way, and you should use any you prefer.

This recipe makes about 24 ravioli.

We’ll start by making the pasta dough. (Skip this step if you’re using wonton wrappers.)

In a bowl, combine 2 cups all-purpose flour; ½ tsp salt; and 1 tsp dried sage.  Make a well in the center of the mixture.

Add 1 tsp of olive oil and 3 egg substitute eggs.

Mix until a dough forms. (Add a little more flour if the dough seems too moist, but not more than 1 Tbsp.) Knead by hand or using the dough hook of a mixer for about five minutes until dough is smooth and elastic.

Cut the dough into quarters and wrap in plastic wrap. Let dough rest for at 20 – 30 minutes.

While the dough is resting, begin making the filling.

Heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 Tbsp chopped shallots or onions, and sauté until translucent but not brown.

Add ½ pound of ground chicken and ¼ tsp dried thyme, and cook until slightly browned. Add ¼ cup of dry white wine (Chardonnay or similar) and ¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth, and cook for about three minutes, stirring often.

Remove the chicken mixture from the heat and mix ¼ cup of plain, fresh bread crumbs.

Using a blender or food processor, grind the chicken mixture till it has a slightly coarse texture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a bowl, let cool, and mix in 1 egg substitute egg to make the filling.

While the filling is cooling, make the piccata sauce as described below.

Using the same pan you used to cook the chicken, reduce the heat to medium, and heat 1 Tbsp olive oil. When heated, sauté 2 chopped garlic cloves until aromatic, 30 seconds – 1 minute.

In a separate bowl, combine ¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth; 3 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice; and ½ cup dry white wine.

Add the broth mixture and 2 tsp all-purpose flour to the pan, and cook until thickened, about 3 minutes, stirring often.

Stir in 1 Tbsp dried sage and 1 Tbsp capers. Cook another 2 – 3 minutes.

Stir in 1 Tbsp butter substitute, remove from heat, and set aside.

Now let’s make the ravioli! (Repeat the following steps for each of the dough quarters. Keep the unused dough covered to prevent drying out.)

On a well-floured surface, roll to a thickness of about 1/16”.

Cut into desired shapes.

Apply egg substitute to the edges of half of the shapes.

Place 1 tsp of filling on half the shapes.

Place an identical shape on top, pressing down onto the egg. Press down edges with a fork or fingers to seal.

If using a ravioli stamp, press out each ravioli. Cook in salted boiling water (usually about 7 minutes but check often for doneness) or freeze for later use.

To serve, plate the ravioli and top with the sauce. Garnish with parsley. Serve with a salad or vegetable side dish.

To download a cookbook-style copy of the recipe for Chicken Piccata Ravioli, click HERE.

Whether you’re making it for yourself or for company, this is a dinner you’ll be proud to serve. Bon appétit!

We hope you’ll visit here again next week for another kitchen-tested, home-cook ready recipe. Till then, stay well, keep it about the food, and always remember to kiss the cook. ;-)