This Creamy Chicken Scampi recipe is the perfect Olive Garden Chicken Scampi 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.
Ingredients in Creamy Chicken Scampi (Olive Garden Copycat)
Ingredient Notes
How to Make Olive Garden Chicken Scampi
Step by Step Directions
STEP 1: Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. 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.
STEP 2: Remove the chicken from the pan, cover and set aside (Chicken will not be fully cooked at this stage.) Using the same pan, reduce the heat to medium and add remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, the garlic and half of the onions. Sauté until the onions are tender and the garlic is fragrant.
STEP 3: Deglaze 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. Add the Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to low to simmer. Let simmer 2 to 3 minutes.
STEP 4: Add the heavy cream and allow to simmer 5 to 10 minutes to allow sauce to begin thickening. Mix in Parmesan cheese, sea salt and black pepper to taste.
STEP 5: Add chicken back to the pan, along with the remaining onions and the mixed bell peppers. Finish cooking the chicken in the sauce on medium-low. Let simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the peppers are crisp-tender, the sauce has thickened, and the chicken is cooked through. Plate the chicken and then pour the sauce over top. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and parsley before serving. Then ENJOY! This is the perfect Olive Garden Chicken Scampi Copycat.
What to serve with the Best Chicken Scampi Recipe
- Serve it on top of Shirataki noodles - Tips for cooking below
- Roasted Brussels sprouts with Creamy Dijon Cider Dressing
- Sweet and Spicy Green Beans
- Herbed Goat Cheese Cauliflower Mash
- Steamed Artichokes with Lemon Caper Aioli
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Storage: Store leftover creamy chicken scampi in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- 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.
- 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.
- Add white wine: To enhance the flavor even more, replace half of the chicken stock with dry white wine.
- Add more veggies: Amp up the nutritional value with more vegetables. Some of my favorites to add are mushrooms and broccoli.
- 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is a take on a traditional scampi sauce, with the additional of cream and cheese - olive oil, butter, garlic, broth, white wine, red pepper flakes and parsley.
It is important to drain the liquid they are stored in and soak them in a bowl of fresh water for about 20 minutes. From there, drain them and give them another good rinse. If they still have an odor or feel a little slimy, soak them again. Then, drain them and dry fry them in a pan for abut 5 minutes.
Taking all of these steps will help them absorb the flavors you are cooking them in and lose a lot of that rubbery texture.
Pinot grigio, Sauvignon Blanc,
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Creamy Chicken Scampi
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: Makes 4 Servings
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
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.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breast, cut into tenders sized pieces
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 tablespoons butter, divided
- ¾ cup chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 6 ounces mixed bell peppers (red, yellow, orange, green), sliced
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian Seasoning (I use this brand)
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- freshly shredded parmesan cheese, for serving and garnish
- finely chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. 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. Remove the chicken from the pan, cover and set aside (Chicken will not be fully cooked at this stage.)
- Using the same pan, reduce the heat to medium and add remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, the garlic and half of the onions. Sauté until the onions are tender and the garlic is fragrant.
- Deglaze 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. Add the Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to low to simmer. Let simmer 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the heavy cream and allow to simmer 5 to 10 minutes to allow sauce to begin thickening. Mix in Parmesan cheese, sea salt and black pepper to taste.
- Add chicken back to the pan, along with the remaining onions and the mixed bell peppers. Finish cooking the chicken in the sauce on medium-low. Let simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the peppers are crisp-tender, the sauce has thickened, and the chicken is cooked through.
- Plate the chicken and then pour the sauce over top. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and parsley before serving.
Notes
- net carbs per serving: 4g
- Storage: Store leftover creamy chicken scampi in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- 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.
- 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.
- Add white wine: To enhance the flavor even more, replace half of the chicken stock with dry white wine.
- Add more veggies: Amp up the nutritional value with more vegetables. Some of my favorites to add are mushrooms and broccoli.
- 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.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Chicken Recipes
- Method: Saute
- Cuisine: Italian
**Recipe originally published on October 4th 2012 - Recipe updated on April 25th 2022**
Maggie says
I came across this recipe over the weekend and tried it this evening. I was a bit intimidated, but went for it (I subbed in the white wine and served over quinoa). It was so.freaking.good. This is the first time my husband ate all of the quinoa on his plate - which is a testament to how delicious the recipe was. Will definitely make again!
amb says
I have made this twice and it is a hit! The red onion gives it a great zing and I find myself enjoying mushrooms as well! Thank you for sharing.
One question I have is: Could this be cooked in the crockpot?
Alisa says
This is amazing. I did sub half of the chicken stock for wine and added broccoli. Sooo good!!
Tanya says
Wow! This recipe is so amazing! It has so much flavor. Thank you for the ideas to substitute for others needs. I will be making this one again and again.
Ingrid Rinaudo says
This dish was so very good. Made it once for chef hubby (who gave it 2 thumbs up), then for visiting family. It was a hit again! Used chicken broth in place of white wine both times. Next time I think I will try white wine and use SHRIMP! That will be a treat! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Nadia says
If there was 10 stars, I'd give this a 10! This dish is soo flavourful! For me, it was a little time consuming, but it was worth it.
The hubby loved it too!
Thank you for another great recipe!
Greg says
Umm.. getting ready to make this dish and there are wine questions and how to cook asian noodles and yet neither is in the ingredients list.. Super confused. We will put it over brown rice but flummoxed as to the omission of these ingredients in the recipe... can you explain and update the page?
Love the site
Greg
Kyndra Holley says
If you read the entire post, I think you will answer your own questions
Greg says
I did read it.. again, if the recipe doesn't have those ingredients and several pictures don't have them as well then it's confusing at the end of the recipe. That's all.
Kyndra Holley says
The chicken scampi is served on top of shirataki noodles in some of the pictures. It is a low carb noodle. I gave preparation tips for how to prepare. Under the Recipe Tips and Variations section, I mentioned adding white wine. Therefore I addressed which wines would be good in this dish. If you did actually read the whole post, then you would know why I included that information. I'm sorry that you are so unhappy with how I chose to write about my recipe on my blog that I put our FOR FREE for people to enjoy.