Description
Craving restaurant-quality Italian without the wait? This Olive Garden Chicken Scampi copycat tastes even better than the original and comes together in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450g) chicken tenders or boneless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch strips
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup (60ml) dry white wine (Pinot Grigio works beautifully)
- 1 cup (240ml) chicken broth
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup (25g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 12 oz (340g) angel hair pasta
- Additional grated Parmesan for garnish
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Season chicken strips with salt, pepper, and half the Italian seasoning. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for pasta.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken 2-3 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover.
- In the same skillet, add remaining olive oil. Sauté onions for 2 minutes, then add bell peppers and cook 3-4 minutes until tender-crisp. Add garlic and remaining Italian seasoning, cooking for 30 seconds.
- Reduce heat to medium and add white wine, scraping up browned bits. Reduce wine by half, about 2 minutes. Add chicken broth and simmer for 3 minutes.
- Stir in heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Add butter one tablespoon at a time, whisking continuously. Once sauce thickens slightly, stir in Parmesan cheese and lemon juice.
- Cook angel hair pasta 1 minute less than package directions. Reserve ½ cup pasta water before draining.
- Add drained pasta and cooked chicken to the skillet with sauce and vegetables. Toss gently for 1 minute, adding reserved pasta water if needed for desired consistency.
- Remove from heat, sprinkle with fresh parsley, and serve immediately with additional Parmesan and optional red pepper flakes.