The difference between chicken piccata and chicken scallopini is that the chicken piccata is the sauce that is draped over the chicken scallopini.
Chicken Scallopini is the dish that the chicken piccata sauce is covering.
The word “Piccata” is actually indicative of the sauce you often see draping over the sides of Chicken Scallopini.
Piccata Sauce is a thin, vibrant sauce with a pronounced lemon flavor, speckled with briny capers.
In addition to chicken, Piccata Sauce is also wonderful over fish and veal.
Chicken piccata is nothing more than chicken breast cutlets, dredged in flour, browned, and served with a sauce of butter, lemon juice, capers, and either stock or white wine.
Piccata, though, is an Italian word meaning larded. It seems to be a translation of the French word pique (sharp, as in piquant).
When used in a reference to a way of preparing food (particularly meat or fish) it means sliced and sauteed in a sauce containing lemon, butter, and spices.
Chicken Piccata tastes tart from the lemon juice and pickled capers.
That's why I decided to cut some of that tartness with the heavy cream and to make it more of a traditional style sauce.
Scaloppine are lean slices of veal (though sometimes also pork or turkey), often lightly flattened with a meat pounder, cooked in a sauce that may feature wine or lemon.
They make a very appealing second course that is easy to prepare.