This chicken scampi recipe is golden brown chicken tenderloins with peppers and onions over pasta, all tossed in a white wine and butter sauce. It’s a restaurant favorite that tastes even better when you make it at home!
Pasta is always a favorite in my house, and when you add crispy chicken and buttery sauce to the mix, it’s sure to be a hit! I serve chicken scampi with a side of garlic knots and roasted broccoli for a complete meal.
I know that everyone’s heard of shrimp scampi, but have you ever heard of chicken scampi? It’s a dish at Olive Garden that’s super delicious. I made my own version of this recipe at home, and I feel like it’s a good representation of the original! It’s chicken, veggies and pasta in a garlic and herb sauce – how could you go wrong with that?
How do you make chicken scampi?
Place assorted sliced bell peppers and red onion in a pan, then cook until tender. Coat chicken tenderloins in flour, and sear them until golden brown. Remove the chicken and vegetables from the pan, and prepare the sauce which is made with butter, white wine, garlic, herbs and lemon. Pour cooked angel hair pasta into the sauce pan, along with the veggies. Toss everything together until it’s well coated, then arrange the chicken on top, sprinkle with parsley and serve.
What is scampi sauce made of?
The primary flavorings in scampi sauce are garlic and butter. Many versions also include other ingredients such as white wine, parmesan cheese, herbs and spices. This version uses a little bit of heavy cream to make the sauce ultra decadent.
Tips for the perfect chicken scampi
- Chicken tenderloins are often just labeled as chicken tenders; my store sells them next to the boneless skinless chicken breasts.
- The original version of this dish uses red, yellow and green bell peppers. You can use just one or two colors if you prefer. I recommend using at least one red, orange or yellow pepper as they are sweeter than the green variety.
- This dish stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, although I find it’s best when eaten immediately.
- I typically minimize my time in the kitchen by following this process when making the dish: boil the water, cook the peppers and onions while the water is boiling, then cook the chicken, put the pasta in the boiling water and make the sauce while the pasta cooks.
Flavor Variations
While my version of chicken scampi is pretty close to the Olive Garden version, feel free to change up the ingredients to customize the dish to your tastes.
- Protein: Instead of chicken tenders, bite sized pieces of chicken breast, shrimp, or even Italian sausage!
- Veggies: Feel free to add other vegetables to the pasta such as mushrooms, zucchini, tomatoes or broccoli.
- Pasta: While angel hair pasta is used in the restaurant version of this recipe, any long pasta will work such as spaghetti, fettuccine or linguine. Whole wheat pasta will also work just fine.
- Toppings: Serve your pasta with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese, olives or capers for extra flavor.
My whole family loved this chicken scampi – my kids had actually never had angel hair pasta before and thought it was fun to try it out. You definitely don’t need to be an Olive Garden fan to enjoy this dish, it’s a classic that will sure to be on repeat in your house like it is in mine.
More great chicken recipes
- Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells
- Chicken Parmesan Pasta
- Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
- Bruschetta Chicken
Chicken Scampi Video
Chicken Scampi
Ingredients
For the pasta:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided use
- 1 cup bell peppers thinly sliced, I use red, yellow and green
- 1/2 cup red onions thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken tenderloins also called chicken tenders
- 1/2 cup flour
- salt and pepper to taste
- 10 ounces dry angel hair pasta
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
For the sauce:
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Place one tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium high heat. Add the peppers and onions and cook for 3-5 minutes or until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper.
- Remove the vegetables from the pan; place on a plate and cover to keep warm. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel.
- Place the flour on a plate and season generously with salt and pepper. Coat the both sides of the chicken tenders in the flour; shake to remove excess flour.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat. Add the chicken tenders and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to the plate with the vegetables.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. While the pasta is boiling, make the sauce.
For the sauce
- Wipe out the pan, and melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk to combine. Add the white wine and whisk to combine.
- Bring the heat to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth and cream and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes or until sauce has just thickened. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Stir the lemon juice and parmesan cheese into the sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Drain the pasta and return to pot.
- Place the sauce and pepper mixture into the pot with the pasta; toss to coat evenly. Arrange the chicken on top and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
This post was originally published on February 26, 2017 and was updated on July 28, 2020 with new content.
Lacie says
I don’t normally cook with wine. Is there a substitute? Also I want to try to use up some frozen chicken breasts. Would I chunk those up and coat them the same way?
Sara says
You could just use more chicken broth. You can cube or slice the chicken!