Description
Olive Garden-inspired chicken scampi brings Italian restaurant magic straight to home kitchens. Garlic-infused pasta with tender chicken and zesty lemon sauce promises restaurant-quality comfort you can savor without leaving home.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 12 chicken tenderloins (approximately 1.75 pounds or 794 grams)
Pasta and Vegetables:
- 12 ounces (340 grams) angel hair pasta
- 0.5 red bell pepper, cut into strips
- 0.5 yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
- 0.5 green bell pepper, cut into strips
- 0.5 medium red onion, sliced
Seasoning and Coating:
- 0.5 cup flour
- Salt to taste
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving (optional)
- Vegetable oil for frying
Scampi Sauce Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 0.5 cup yellow onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (approximately 1 large lemon)
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 0.125 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 0.25 pound (113 grams) unsalted butter (one stick)
Instructions
- Initiate water preparation in a spacious pot, bringing it to a vigorous boil. Liberally season with salt and introduce pasta, cooking until nearly tender. Carefully extract and reserve one cup of starchy liquid before draining.
- Select a broad skillet and warm vegetable oil over moderate heat. Delicately dust chicken tenderloins with seasoned flour, creating a light, crisp coating. Sear each piece until achieving a rich, golden exterior, approximately 5-7 minutes per side. Transfer cooked chicken to a holding plate.
- Establish a sauce foundation by melting butter in a medium saucepan. Introduce finely chopped onions and minced garlic, sautéing until translucent and fragrant. Deglaze the pan with white wine, allowing it to reduce and concentrate flavors. Incorporate chicken stock, bright lemon juice, aromatic dried parsley, and a hint of red pepper flakes.
- Allow sauce to simmer gently, developing depth and complexity. Whisk remaining butter into the liquid, creating a silky, emulsified texture that coats the palate.
- Return to the original pasta pot, warming a touch of oil. Sauté bell peppers and onions until they soften and develop slight caramelization. Reintroduce cooked pasta and pour the luxurious scampi sauce, gently tossing to ensure even distribution.
- Fine-tune seasoning with salt and pepper, utilizing reserved pasta water to adjust sauce consistency if needed. Aim for a glossy, luscious coating that clings to each pasta strand.
- Plate the pasta with artistic flair, ensuring generous sauce coverage. Arrange golden-crusted chicken tenderloins atop the dish. Optional: Sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan cheese for an additional layer of richness.
Notes
- Perfectly golden chicken tenderloins swimming in a zesty, buttery sauce create an irresistible meal that’ll have everyone asking for seconds.
- Mastering this recipe means transforming simple ingredients into a restaurant-quality dish that looks impressive but comes together surprisingly easily.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg