Description
Olive Garden Chicken Scampi brings Italian coastal flavors to your dinner table with tender chicken and linguine swimming in a garlic-white wine sauce. Creamy pasta and succulent chicken create a restaurant-quality meal you can easily enjoy at home without leaving your kitchen.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 2 pounds (lbs) chicken tenders
- 5 cloves garlic
Starches and Flour:
- 1 pound (lb) angel hair pasta
- 1 cup flour
Vegetables and Seasonings:
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 red onion
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Garnish:
- Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil
- Fresh parsley
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning in a shallow dish, creating a uniform coating mixture for the chicken tenders.
- Thoroughly dredge each chicken tender in the seasoned flour, ensuring an even, light layer by gently shaking off excess flour.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high temperature, preparing for an even golden sear on the chicken.
- Carefully place chicken tenders into the hot skillet, cooking each side for 2-3 minutes until a rich golden brown develops and chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Remove chicken from skillet, transfer to a plate, and loosely tent with foil to retain warmth and moisture.
- Simultaneously, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook angel hair pasta until perfectly al dente.
- Drain pasta, reserving one cup of starchy cooking liquid, and set aside.
- Wipe the previous skillet clean, then return to medium heat with fresh oil.
- Sauté sliced bell peppers and red onion until they become slightly softened and translucent, approximately 3-4 minutes.
- Introduce butter and minced garlic to the vegetable mixture, stirring continuously to prevent burning and develop rich aromatics.
- Deglaze the pan by pouring in chicken broth, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any flavorful browned bits from the bottom.
- Incorporate cream, salt, and Italian seasoning, bringing the sauce to a gentle simmer while stirring consistently.
- Add cooked pasta to the sauce, gently tossing to ensure complete and even coating, allowing the noodles to absorb the creamy liquid.
- If sauce appears too thick, gradually add reserved pasta water to achieve desired consistency.
- Arrange cooked chicken atop the sauced pasta, creating an appealing presentation.
- Finish the dish by generously sprinkling grated Parmesan cheese and freshly chopped basil and parsley for a burst of color and flavor.
Notes
- Perfectly pan-fry chicken by ensuring medium-high heat and avoiding overcrowding the skillet for golden-brown, crispy exterior.
- Reserve pasta water as a secret weapon to adjust sauce consistency, preventing dry or overly thick sauce.
- Sauté vegetables briefly to maintain crispness and vibrant colors, enhancing overall dish texture and visual appeal.
- Layer flavors strategically by building sauce in the same skillet used for chicken, capturing delicious browned bits.
- Choose angel hair pasta for delicate, light texture that beautifully absorbs creamy scampi sauce.
- Garnish generously with fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese to elevate presentation and add bright, final flavor notes.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 750
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 70 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg