Description
Chicken Scampi Pasta is a delicious and hearty Italian-American dish featuring tender strips of sautéed chicken cooked in a garlic butter sauce with a hint of lemon and white wine, tossed with perfectly al dente linguine or spaghetti and finished with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese. This easy stovetop recipe offers a flavorful, comforting meal perfect for weeknight dinners or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta:
- 12 ounces linguine or spaghetti
Chicken and Sauce:
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Cook the linguine or spaghetti according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set it aside.
- Sauté Chicken: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter. Season the sliced chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then add them to the skillet. Sauté the chicken until golden brown and cooked through, about 5–6 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Prepare Sauce: In the same skillet, add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, minced garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes. Sauté for about 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant but not browned. Carefully pour in the white wine (or additional chicken broth) and the low-sodium chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet.
- Simmer Sauce: Allow the sauce to simmer gently for 4–5 minutes until it reduces slightly and thickens a bit, concentrating the flavors.
- Add Lemon and Parsley: Stir in the fresh lemon juice and chopped parsley to brighten and freshen the sauce.
- Combine Chicken and Pasta: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and toss it in the sauce to coat well. Then add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss everything together thoroughly. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it.
- Serve: Serve the Chicken Scampi Pasta hot, topped with grated Parmesan cheese for added richness and flavor.
Notes
- For a creamier version, stir in 1/4 cup of heavy cream at the end of the sauce preparation.
- You can substitute shrimp for chicken to make a shrimp scampi pasta variation.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth to control salt content.
- Be careful not to overcook the garlic to avoid bitterness.
- Reserve pasta water is important to adjust sauce consistency.
