chicken scampi

olive garden's chicken scampi is one of my favorites.  i've always wanted to try making chicken scampi but i have been too lazy to recreate the dish with some healthier twists.  i.e. no cream, for starters.

when i came across the recipe below, i was excited to give it a try (with a few minor changes).   it turned out really well, something i'll make again for sure.  

chicken scampi

printable recipe

recipe adapted from stephanie cooks

1 tbsp butter

3 tbsp olive oil

5 cloves garlic, minced

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup white wine or chicken broth

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and sliced

1 medium green bell pepper, seeded & sliced

1 medium onion, chopped

pasta, cooked and drained (i used 8 oz barilla plus spaghetti and 8 oz whole wheat thin spaghetti)

shredded parmesan cheese to top

season chicken breasts with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.

heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  add chicken breasts and brown on each side for 3-4 minutes or until golden but not necessarily cooked all of the way through.

remove chicken from the pan and set aside to rest.

add veggies to the same pan and saute for 6-8 minutes until they begin to soften.  add garlic and saute until fragrant. 

in the meantime, chop the rested chicken into bite sized pieces and cook and drain the pasta.

once the veggies have started to soften, deglaze the pan by adding the white wine and lemon juice, stirring gently to pick up any bits from the bottom of the skillet.  

add the chicken to the skillet and bring everything to a simmer.  lower the heat and continue to simmer for 10 minutes (or until chicken is cooked all of the way through).  toss drained pasta into the skillet until combined.

enjoy topped with parmesan cheese if desired.

serves 6

Nutrition Facts recipe chicken scampi Serving Size: 1 serving Amount Per Serving Calories 454 Total Fat 12g       Saturated Fat 2.2g       Trans Fat 0g Cholesterol 45mg Sodium 175mg Carbohydrate 60.4g       Dietary Fiber 8.1g       Sugars 3.9g Protein 27.5g Alcohol 3.6g Vitamin A 18% Vitamin C 123% Calcium    4% Iron 15%