Description
Chicken Scampi Pasta is a flavorful and comforting Italian-American dish featuring tender slices of chicken breast cooked in a garlic lemon butter sauce, tossed with linguine or spaghetti and finished with Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. This easy weeknight meal offers a perfect balance of zesty, savory, and rich flavors, making it a satisfying main course for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 12 ounces linguine or spaghetti
Chicken
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced thin
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 0.25 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 0.5 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
- 0.75 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine or spaghetti and cook until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 0.5 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
- Season and cook the chicken: Season the thinly sliced chicken breasts with salt and black pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and fully cooked. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté garlic and deglaze pan: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet. Stir in minced garlic and red pepper flakes if using, cooking for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the dry white wine (or chicken broth) and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Simmer sauce: Add the 0.75 cup chicken broth and fresh lemon juice to the skillet. Let it simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce slightly reduces and thickens to coat the pasta and chicken well.
- Combine pasta, chicken, and sauce: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet. Add the drained pasta, tossing gently to coat everything in the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it.
- Finish and serve: Stir in grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley until everything is evenly mixed. Serve the Chicken Scampi Pasta immediately for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- For extra richness, add a splash of heavy cream at the end of cooking.
- This dish pairs wonderfully with a simple green salad and crusty bread.
- Use dry white wine for authentic flavor or substitute with extra chicken broth if preferred.
- Adjust red pepper flakes according to your heat preference.
