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Reasons You’ll Love This Chicken Scampi Recipe

• An easy twist on a classic. Chicken scampi is also the perfect way to enjoy scampi if you’re catering to a shellfish allergy, since there’s no shrimp to be found. 
• All-in-one. Served over spaghetti, this chicken scampi is basically a meal in one. It’s fresh and still comforting, perfect for any season. 
• Adaptable. Of course, you can always swap in shrimp if you prefer to make a more traditional version. There’s also the option to skip the pasta in favor of another carb, like potatoes, rice, or crusty Amish bread.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Scampi is one of those restaurant dishes that I was (pleasantly) surprised to find is SUPER simple to make at home. All you need is a package of chicken breasts and a few easy ingredients. I’ve included some notes here. Scroll down to the recipe card for the printable recipe with amounts.

• Spaghetti – Or your choice of dried pasta. This can be long cuts like linguine and fettuccine, or short-cut pasta like penne, rigatoni, rotini, etc. When cooking the pasta, set aside about ½ cup of the starchy pasta water, as you’ll use this to emulsify the sauce.
• Chicken Breasts – Chopped into even-sized, 1” cubes. You can use chicken thighs for even more tender chicken bites.
• Flour – All-purpose flour, seasoned with salt and pepper to coat the chicken pieces.
• Butter and Olive Oil – I love the flavor that comes from searing in butter, but I add a little olive oil to the pan as well to raise the smoke point and prevent the butter from burning. Any mild-flavored oil will work here.
• Garlic – I highly recommend freshly minced garlic. You can substitute 1 teaspoon of garlic paste per fresh clove if you need to. 
• White Wine – Choose a dry white wine that you’d still like to drink. Medium-bodied white wines, like Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc, are all good options for scampi recipes. Feel free to substitute the wine with chicken stock if you’d prefer to cook without it.
• Lemon Juice – Freshly squeezed. Bottled lemon juice will work in a pinch.
• Parsley – Chopped fresh. You could also use another herb, like thyme leaves.

Why Is It Called Scampi?

Scampi is an Italian name for a tiny, lobster-like shellfish called a langoustine, used in original scampi recipes. In the US, shrimp scampi became a popular stand-in for lobster, as it was easier to find. Nowadays, “scampi” also refers to the cooking style, where ingredients like chicken are sautéed with garlic, white wine, and lemon.

How to Make Chicken Scampi

This is a one-pan dinner, and all you need is 30 minutes. Follow the steps below, and scroll to the recipe card for the printable instructions.

• Cook the pasta. Boil the pasta al dente in a pot of salted water. Before you drain the pot, reserve ½ cup of the pasta water to use in the sauce.
• Cook the chicken. Meanwhile, toss the chicken pieces with flour, salt, and pepper. Next, sear the chicken in a hot skillet with butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. 

• Add the garlic. After 5-6 minutes, add the garlic. Sauté for another minute, then move the browned chicken and garlic to a plate. 
• Deglaze. Pour white wine into the pan and bring it to a boil for 5 minutes, until it’s reduced by about half.
• Make the sauce. Add butter, and when that’s melted, stir in additional garlic, followed by the lemon juice and fresh parsley.

• Put it all together. Lastly, return the chicken to the pan. Cook for another 1-2 minutes in the sauce, enough to heat the chicken through, then stir in the pasta. Slowly add the reserved pasta water a little at a time to emulsify the sauce, and give everything a final season with salt and pepper to taste. Your scampi is ready to serve!

Tips and Variation Ideas

• Preheat the skillet. Make sure that the skillet is nice and hot. The better sear you get on the chicken, the more flavor it will have.
• Don’t overcook the chicken, or it’ll be dry. Keep it tented lightly with foil when you set it aside on a plate. If you cover it too tightly, it might steam and continue to cook.
• Simmer the sauce for long enough. After pouring in the wine, let it boil for a few minutes. This allows most of the alcohol to cook off, so it doesn’t overpower the dish.
• Save the pasta water. This is a simple step that adds great flavor and texture to the white wine sauce. The starches leftover from cooking the pasta help emulsify the butter with the wine.
• Make shrimp scampi instead. Feel free to substitute shrimp for chicken. Check out my post on how to sauté shrimp for pasta for tips.
• Change up the sauce. Borrow the lemon pepper sauce from my lemon pepper shrimp scampi.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

• Refrigerate. Store leftover chicken scampi in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Reheat. Warm up the chicken scampi in the microwave or on the stovetop. I’ll often sprinkle a little water or broth over the pasta to loosen up the sauce while it reheats.

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