Chicken Scampi

5 from 1 vote

This Chicken Scampi recipe is one of our favorite restaurant-style meals right at home. Inspired by one of our favorites at Olive Garden, this copycat recipe is so simple and quick to make at home. Our secret recipe is better and more affordable than dining out too!

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: chicken, pasta

Servings: servings

Calories: 397kcal

Ingredients

1/2 pound spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 small red onion thinly sliced
1/2 red bell pepper thinly sliced
1/2 yellow bell pepper thinly sliced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 garlic cloves minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1-1 1/2 pounds frozen breaded chicken
Garnish options: shredded parmesan and sliced fresh basil

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti 2 minutes less than al dente directions. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water, drain the pasta, and set aside.
Cook chicken according to package directions in the oven or air fryer.
Add olive oil and butter to a medium skillet on medium-high. Once the pan is hot and butter melted, add the onion, peppers, and mushrooms. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and crushed red pepper, and cook an additional minute.
Stir in the broth, lemon juice, cream, and parmesan, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer 5 minutes.
Fold in the drained pasta and incorporate with the sauce. Add the reserved pasta water, and simmer 3 minutes.
Cut the chicken into large pieces and add to the top of the pasta. Plate, and garnish as desired.

Video

Notes

Expert Tips:

- Add the heavy cream and parmesan cheese towards the end of cooking. This ensures that the cream doesn't break when simmering to make a rich and velvety sauce.

- Be sure to reserve some of the pasta cooking water for the sauce. This starchy pasta liquid is pure gold to help emulsify and bind the sauce together.

- Add other vegetables as desired. We also love this chicken scampi with asparagus, peas, zucchini, and greens like spinach.

- Make your own breaded chicken if you want. It's very easy if you prefer to make it from scratch by dredging in flour, egg and breadcrumbs. You can follow our chicken Parmesan prep instructions. We love to air fry our frozen chicken for ease and an extra crispy outside.

Storage:
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through. We often recommend to store the chicken separately so it doesn't get soggy inside the pasta.

We don't recommend freezing this recipe as it will compromise the texture and flavor.

Nutrition