Description
Delicious Chicken Scampi is a quick and flavorful Italian-inspired dish featuring tender chicken strips sautéed in garlic, butter, and white wine sauce, tossed with pasta, and garnished with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese. Perfect for an easy weeknight dinner, this recipe balances richness with bright lemon notes and subtle heat from red pepper flakes.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Sauce
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Pasta and Garnish
- 8 ounces cooked pasta (spaghetti or linguine)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the chicken: Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken strips, season with salt and black pepper, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until golden and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté garlic and spices: In the same skillet, add minced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
- Make the sauce: Pour in white wine or chicken broth along with fresh lemon juice, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the sauce simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to reduce slightly and concentrate flavors.
- Combine chicken and sauce: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and stir well to coat the chicken with the sauce.
- Toss with pasta and finish: Add the cooked pasta and the remaining tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Toss everything together to combine and warm through.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese over the top before serving for added flavor and color.
Notes
- For a richer sauce, add a splash of heavy cream during the sauce simmering step.
- Try substituting shrimp for chicken to make a traditional seafood scampi.
- Serve with crusty bread to soak up the flavorful sauce.
- Use gluten-free pasta to make this dish suitable for gluten-free diets.
