Description
Chicken Scampi Pasta is a delicious Italian-American dish featuring tender strips of chicken cooked in a savory lemon garlic butter sauce, tossed with al dente linguine or spaghetti, fresh parsley, and Parmesan cheese. This easy stovetop recipe combines zesty lemon juice, white wine, and aromatic garlic for a flavorful dinner perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 12 ounces linguine or spaghetti
Chicken and Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Cook the linguine or spaghetti according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water, and set aside.
- Cook Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken strips with salt and black pepper. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté Garlic and Red Pepper Flakes: In the same skillet, add the minced garlic and optional red pepper flakes. Cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
- Add Liquids and Simmer: Pour in the dry white wine (or chicken broth) and fresh lemon juice into the skillet, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a spatula. Let the mixture simmer for 2 minutes to reduce slightly and blend flavors.
- Create Butter Sauce: Lower the heat to low and gradually stir in the butter pieces one at a time, allowing each piece to melt completely and the sauce to become smooth and creamy.
- Toss Chicken in Sauce: Return the cooked chicken strips to the skillet and toss them gently to coat evenly with the lemon garlic butter sauce.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and stir to combine everything thoroughly. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce and improve coating.
- Finish and Serve: Stir in the chopped fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese to the pasta. Serve immediately, garnished with extra parsley and Parmesan if desired.
Notes
- Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best and brightest flavor in the sauce.
- You can substitute shrimp for chicken to make a classic shrimp scampi variation.
- Be sure to reserve some pasta water to help adjust the consistency of the sauce as needed.
