This Creamy Chicken Scampi recipe is the perfect Olive Garden Copycat recipe. Tender, juicy chicken breast, in a rich and creamy, garlicky sauce, with sautéed peppers and onions. It is a super simple one pot meal that comes together in about 30 minutes.
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: Makes 4 Servings
Ingredients:
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1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, cut into tenders sized pieces
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6 cloves garlic, minced
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6 tablespoons butter, divided
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3/4 cup chicken stock
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1 cup heavy cream
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1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
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6 ounces mixed bell peppers (red, yellow, orange, green), sliced
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1 small red onion, thinly sliced
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1 teaspoon dried Italian Seasoning (I use this brand)
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1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
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sea salt and black pepper, to taste
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freshly shredded parmesan cheese, for serving and garnish
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finely chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions:
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Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides.
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Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
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Once the butter is melted, add the chicken tenders and pan-sear on both sides until they are a nice golden brown, about 3 minutes each side.
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Remove the chicken from the pan, cover and set aside (Chicken will not be fully cooked at this stage.)
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Using the same pan, reduce the heat to medium and add remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, the garlic and half of the onions.
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Sauté until the onions are tender and the garlic is fragrant.
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De glaze the pan with chicken stock. Using a rubber spatula, scrape off and mix in any bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan.
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Add the Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes.
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Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to low to simmer. Let simmer 2 to 3 minutes.
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Add the heavy cream and allow to simmer 5 to 10 minutes to allow sauce to begin thickening.
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Mix in Parmesan cheese, sea salt and black pepper to taste.
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Add chicken back to the pan, along with the remaining onions and the mixed bell peppers.
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Finish cooking the chicken in the sauce on medium-low.
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Let simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the peppers are crisp-tender, the sauce has thickened, and the chicken is cooked through.
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Plate the chicken and then pour the sauce over top.
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Garnish with Parmesan cheese and parsley before serving.
NOTES:
net carbs per serving: 4g
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Storage: Store leftover creamy chicken scampi in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
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Reheating: I recommend reheating this in a pan on the stovetop and adding a splash of cream to help bring the sauce back to life.
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Change up the protein: Instead of making chicken scampi, you can also replace the chicken with shrimp to make a shrimp scampi. It is also delicious with pork or even salmon.
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Add white wine: To enhance the flavor even more, replace half of the chicken stock with dry white wine.
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Add more veggies: Amp up the nutritional value with more vegetables. Some of my favorites to add are mushrooms and broccoli.
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Make it dairy free: To make this a dairy free creamy chicken scampi, you can use full-fat coconut milk in place of the heavy cream and use a vegan parmesan cheese, or omit the cheese altogether. For a cheesy parmesan flavor without using cheese, you can also add a couple of tablespoons of nutritional yeast to the sauce.
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a white bowl full of shirataki noodles, topped with creamy chicken scampi
Nutritional Info:
Calories: 680Fat: 34gCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 4gProtein: 38g
