This chicken scampi recipe is to die for. Angel hair pasta covered in a creamy garlic sauce with caramelized onions and bell peppers, then topped with pan-fried chicken tenderloins.
After trying chicken scampi for the first time at the Olive Garden I just knew I needed to recreate it and make it even better. Some of my other favorite Olive Garden copycat recipes I’ve recreated are Olive Garden Italian dressing and Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana soup.
I am so excited to share one of my families most favorite pasta dishes with you today! It’s my Chicken Scampi recipe and it is so good that me and my husband always fight over the leftovers the next day!
Have you tried the Olive Garden Chicken Scampi? This is where I first fell in love with this dish. Angel hair pasta covered in a creamy garlic sauce mixed with caramelized red onions and bell peppers. Then topped with pan-fried chicken tenderloins. Oh my!
Although I love Olive Gardens chicken scampi, I honestly prefer my own recipe. Does it taste better you ask? I will let you be the judge. But the answer is yes. 100% yes.
INGREDIENTS
To make this Chicken Scampi recipe, you only need a handful of simple ingredients.
- Chicken Tenderloins: Boneless and skinless chicken tenderloins are preferred for this recipe, but you can also try it with chicken breasts, or chicken thighs.
- Flour: For dusting the chicken, which helps in creating a light crust when pan-frying. All-purpose flour will work great.
- Olive Oil: Used for frying the chicken and sautéing the garlic. Extra virgin olive oil is preferred for its flavor, but you can also use other mild oils such as canola or avocado oil.
- Butter: Adds richness to the sauce. Unsalted butter is often used to control the saltiness of the dish.
- Garlic and Onion: Freshly minced garlic and onion is key for the characteristic flavor of scampi sauce.
- Bell Peppers: Red bell peppers will complement the chicken flavor and add sweetness and flavor to the dish.
- Parsley: Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish and added flavor.
- Seasonings: The right seasonings are important to get the best scampi sauce. On top of salt, and pepper, I add Italian seasonings and red pepper flakes for an extra kick.
- Pasta: Angel hair is the best choice for this dish but it’s also often served with spaghetti or linguine. The pasta is typically cooked al dente and tossed with the chicken and sauce.
HOW DO YOU MAKE SCAMPI SAUCE?
It is super easy to make the scampi sauce that tastes just like the Olive Garden one. Basically, all you need to do is saute some garlic and onion, add in chicken broth and some seasonings and simmer for 15 minutes. Then after the flavors have developed together, you add in some heavy cream and simmer on low for 10 minutes more. Such a delicious and creamy sauce.
HOW DO YOU MAKE CHICKEN SCAMPI?
After making your scampi sauce, make the rest of the recipe and assemble the dish reading for serving.
- Dredge the chicken tenders in flour and fry them until golden brown.
2. Caramelize the sliced peppers and onions until soft.
3. Cook the angel hair pasta and add the scampi sauce to the pot.
4. Add the peppers and onions to the pasta.
5. Plate the pasta and add the chicken on top.
6. Add more sauce on top and fresh Parmesan and parsley.
STORAGE NOTES
Once your chicken scampi is cooked, it’s important to store any leftovers properly to maintain freshness and ensure safety.
- First, allow the chicken scampi to cool to room temperature, but do not leave it out for more than two hours to prevent bacterial growth. Then, transfer the leftovers into airtight containers. If you have cooked pasta mixed with the chicken and sauce, you can store it all together.
- Refrigerate the containers and consume the leftovers within three to four days.
- For longer storage, you can freeze the chicken scampi in airtight, freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags for up to two months.
- If reheating from frozen, it’s best to thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. Remember, reheated chicken scampi is best when heated just until warm, as overcooking can dry out the chicken and affect the sauce’s consistency.
RECIPE FAQ
Yes, you can use chicken thighs if you prefer. They tend to be juicier and more flavorful but keep in mind that cooking times may vary slightly due to the difference in texture and thickness.
Absolutely! Mushrooms, broccoli, or spinach can be great additions. Sauté them in the pan together or in place of the peppers and onions.
Yes, you can prepare this Olive Garden chicken scampi recipe ahead of time. However, it’s best to store the sauce and chicken separately and combine them when reheating to maintain the best texture and flavor.
MORE CHICKEN RECIPES
- Honey Sesame Chicken
- Creamy Hazelnut Chicken Penne
- Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Chicken Burrito Bowls
- Chicken Picatta Freezer Meal
- Make Ahead Orange Chicken
Chicken Scampi
Ingredients
- 3 tbs butter
- 2 tbs minced onions
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbs dried parsley
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 16 oz angel hair pasta
- 1 lb chicken tenderloins about 9-12 pieces
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup flour
- 4 tbs olive oil
- 2 red bell peppers
- 1 red onions
- 1 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley, optional garnish
Instructions
- In a medium sized sauce pan add butter, minced onion, minced garlic and saute over medium heat for a 1-2 minutes. Don’t let the garlic burn! Add in chicken broth, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and the dried parsley. Simmer for 15 minutes on med-low heat.
- After 15 minutes is up add heavy whipping cream and simmer on low, without boiling for 10 minutes.
- In a separate pot, boil the angel hair pasta according to the directions on the box.
- To prepare your chicken tenders, sprinkle with salt and pepper and dip in flour. Fry in a skillet over medium heat with a couple tablespoons of olive oil 3-5 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked all the way through. Set aside.
- Take your onions and bell peppers and cut in julienne strips, making sure to remove all seeds and the white membrane on the inside. In the same skillet that the chicken was cooked in, add another tablespoon or so of olive oil and saute the onions and bell peppers. I cook on high for 3-5 minutes until they get soft and caramelized.
- Take the creamy garlic sauce and add half of it to the pasta. Stir to incorporate sauce.
- Add all the onions and bell peppers and mix into the pasta. Dish up pasta, adding the chicken on top. Drizzle more sauce over pasta and chicken. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and parsley if desired.
Notes
- You can store the leftovers in airtight containers in the fridge for three to four days.
- For longer storage, you can freeze the chicken scampi in airtight, freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags for up to two months.
Nutrition
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This dish is perfect in so many ways. I hope you love it as much as I do.
Comments & Reviews
Shadowflower says
This was wonderful! My husband had bought an enormous bag of very bland chicken nuggets at Costco and I have been trying to find ways to use them up. I substituted them into this recipe and it was great! I sprinkled just a bit of fresh lemon juice over the nuggets before adding them in and the dish came out really good! I had tried a few other recipes to use up these wretched things, but your recipe is the first one that (almost) made me wish I had more of them! Thank you so much for sharing it.
Christine says
I made this tonight and it was amazing . We all LOVED it . I will definitely be making again ! Yum !
Sammy says
This was delicious! My wife and I are saving this one for sure!!! Wow, I can’t wait for lunch tomorrow 😉
Todd says
I made this dish tonight and I thought it was very good. My only suggestions would be to omit the red pepper flakes and scale back the red onions to 1 as well as maybe 1/2 tbs of minced garlic. This dish while good, prepared at full strength is a little spicy.
Shanna Sorenson says
Thanks for sharing this recipe. It is amazing it is one of our favorites meals!
Monica says
This is by far the most anazing recipe ever!! Wow , this is delish!! Chicken scampi is the only thing i order at olive garden and this recipe is exact! I probably used more garlic and parm cheese than called for because…who measures? I did also thicken just a tad with cornstarch. I love this revipe and also ate untill i was ill!!
Karrie says
Yay, so happy you love it too!
Kim says
One Word. DELISH!!! This is certainly a restaurant quality recipe. If I could give it 10 stars I would.
Vicki Pedersen says
This looks really good. Unfortunately my husband hates onion so I’ll be making it without the carmelized onions.
Sarah says
This recipe is phenomenal. I just sent the link to add my friends to try out.
The red pepper flakes gave it an extra kick (which I love) but if your not into spicy I wouldn’t add it.
Jinger says
I just made this for my very picky 2 daughters and husband. They are all saying how great it is. My husband said “it’s amazing!” My girls are gobbling it up!! I just sat down as us moms usually do and haven’t made my plate yet. But I told my husband hands off!!! I can’t wait until I get my peaceful plate :-). Thank you so much for your recipe, I LOVE scampi when it’s done right. I’ve never had Olive Garden myself, but order it when I go out (very rarely), and this is just terrific!!!! I will be saving this recipe and making it with confidence, even with company :-). The cat is even begging for it like a dog! Btw, I read a lot of other recipes for 3 days before making, and I’m SO happy I chose yours 🙂
Bonnie says
Excellent recipe! I’m cooking for 2, so I used 8 oz. of fettucine, 2 chicken breast halves, 1 red bell pepper, 1 yellow onion, doubled the garlic, added 8 oz. of sliced mushrooms. Used half & half with a couple of tablespoons of cornstarch stirred in. Perfect amount of sauce and consistency.
This amount provided for about 3 more servings as leftovers. There was no leftover chicken, but the leftovers were just as good. I’ll make this again and again, with and without chicken.
Thanks, Karrie, for sharing!
Angel says
Can I substitute whole milk for the cream?
Karrie says
You really need it to be cream if possible, as your sauce may be runny otherwise.
Christine says
This was a great recipe, I changed a few things because i like more sauce, I cut the chicken broth to 1 cup and included 1/2 cup of white wine and 2 cups of cream instead of one.
Heather says
Can you provide a nutritional count for this?
Ruth Spencer says
Eeeeeek!!!…I LOVE the Chicken Scampi at OG!…I cannot wait to try your recipe!…Thank you!
Kathy says
Hi Karrie,
I came across your recipe on Pinterest….I have made many recipes from there but I have NEVER left a comment anywhere. But your chicken scampi was AWESOME! I am a very average cook and some how always manage to mess up chicken. But I followed your recipe to the tee (I set the timer every time, ha!) it turned out great! Thank you! I look forward to checking out more of your recipes. 🙂
Happy.MoneySaver says
That makes me so happy! The chicken scampi recipe is one of my family’s favorites and I have never messed it up! I am so glad you liked it…and that I got your first comment! 🙂
Marie says
Made this for dinner last night. Garlic heaven !! I didn’t have any chicken tenders so I brined some chicken breasts. They came out nice & tender. Added extra Parmesan too. My guys definitely want me to make this one again !!
Happy.MoneySaver says
I haven’t tried it before but I think it would work as long as the sauce was reheated before adding in all the other ingredients.
Amanda says
This recipe is awesome! Very flavorful. I did add lemon because I like I that way, but the recipe is delicious without it, just as-is. I did make one fatal mistake, though. This dish was a hit, so I’ll definitely make it again. However, next time, I will cook the pasta LAST. Tending to the chicken and the pasta at the same time, I overcooked the pasta 🙁 Rookie mistake, alas, I am a novice. Family still seemed to enjoy it, though! The red pepper flakes give it some bite!
Marry Rutland says
This dish is sooooo crazy good! I actually found it about a month ago when I was looking for something to take to a family who just had their first born. I thought of your dish when I saw this from Publix! If it were my recipe, I would totally submit it! Hope you consider it – and if you do -good luck!!
https://www.publixrecipecontest.com/?utm_medium=social+media&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=brd+inc+2015_aprons_recipecontest_social_oosj&utm_content=pp+rs+20150930+apronsrecipecontestpost4
Happy.MoneySaver says
Thanks so much! I would enter but I don’t live in the states that it is required for!