Olive Garden Chicken Scampi Pasta copycat made with a creamy garlic white wine sauce with lemon, bell peppers and onions.
We love Olive Garden pasta dishes including Olive Garden Five Cheese Ziti al Forno (Copycat) and chicken dishes like Olive Garden Chicken Piccata (Copycat) served with their classic salad topped with Olive Garden Italian Salad Dressing (Copycat).
Olive Garden Chicken Scampi Pasta (Copycat)
Creamy chicken pastas are sure fire winners in our house. This creamy garlicky, lemony, white wine sauce with Parmesan cheese is basically heaven on earth. This sauce would taste delicious with shrimp or pork or even beef medallions as well.
What is in chicken scampi?
Chicken scampi, similar to the shrimp scampi is a dish classically made with garlic, butter and white wine. This chicken scampi has heavy cream and parmesan cheese added to the sauce to create a rich, creamy main dish.
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Best Pasta For Scampi Pasta:
For an authentic copycat I stuck with angel hair pasta, but I tend to find angel hair pasta is simply too thin, cooks too quickly and won’t hold up to other vegetables and chicken well, breaking too easily.
For creamy pasta recipes I tend to stick to spaghetti or thin spaghetti which is still relatively thin while staying strong enough to not break apart in tossing the creamy sauce with the noodles.
The base of the creamy sauce is just a roux. The mixture of butter and flour is used to thicken sauces.
How to make a creamy roux sauce:
- To start the roux use even parts butter and flour melted and whisked together.
- Cook the flour just long enough for it to start to turn a creamy beige color (20-30 seconds) to ensure no raw flour taste.
- Add room temperature or warm liquids, SLOWLY.
- Whisk quickly while adding the liquids and maintain a creamy texture. Too much at once can break the sauce.
- Reduce on a medium low or medium heat.
- Finish with cream, don’t boil the cream down.
Also remember, when you’re cooking with lemon and Parmesan cheese they are best added at the end of the cooking time. They are fresh and bright flavors. You can also finish the recipe with more lemon juice or lemon wedges in addition to the remaining parmesan cheese.
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Can you meal prep this chicken scampi?
The problem with meal prepping pastas with creamy sauces is that the pasta will continue to soak up the sauce once it is cooled.
Sometimes if I am really craving a dish I will keep the sauce separate. Then just before serving add a splash of milk or water and stir with a fork before warming up the sauce just to make it a little thinner.
To make the dish easier to eat during lunch I will usually chop the chicken before putting it in containers. This makes it easier to eat with just a fork at work/school.
Looking for more Copycat Italian Recipes?
- Cheesecake Factory Farfalle with Chicken and Roasted Garlic
- Cheesecake Factory Chicken Bellagio
- Cheesecake Factory Pasta Da Vinci
- Cheesecake Factory Chicken Madeira
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1/2 red bell pepper sliced thinly
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper sliced thinly
- 1/2 green bell pepper sliced thinly
- 1/2 red onion thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons garlic minced
- 4 tablespoons flour divided
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 pound angel hair pasta
- 1 pound chicken breast tenderloins
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup heavy cream warm to the touch
- 1/2 medium lemon juiced
- 1 cup parmesan cheese shaved, divided
Instructions
- Add 2 tablespoons of butter to a cast iron skillet on medium high heat and cook the bell peppers and onions for 2-3 minutes or until slightly softened.
- Remove the vegetables and add in remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.
- Once melted add in two tablespoons of flour and garlic.
- Whisk well until the flour has had a chance to "cook" for about 20 seconds.
- Add in the red pepper flakes, oregano, basil, wine and chicken broth, then let reduce on medium heat for 18-20 minutes.
- While the sauce is reducing cook the pasta one minute shy of the instructions, do not rinse.
- In a second pan add 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium high heat.
- Coat the chicken tenderloins in the salt and pepper before tossing in the remaining flour.
- Add in the chicken, cooking for 3-4 minutes on each side.
- Remove the chicken from the heat while the sauce finishes reducing.
- When the sauce is reduced by half add in the heavy cream and whisk well until you have a nice thick sauce.
- Add in the lemon juice and half the parmesan cheese and whisk.
- Toss with the pasta, bell peppers and onions.
- Top with the chicken and Parmesan and serve.
Nutrition
This was always my go-to at Olive Garden. My favourite! This recipe however, is BETTER. Thank you so much. I live in the country now… no Olive Garden available but I don’t care any more since finding this recipe. Thanks Sabrina!
Delicious! I like the pasta moister, so I would double the amount of the sauce next time.
Better than olive garden, I cooked my peppers longer . Just because I like them really soft.
I made this at my husband’s request. I asked him what he wants me to make for dinner ( my mistake) and he said Olive Garden Chicken Scampi. It was a winner! We both loved it. I order it every time I go to the Olive Garden so I was really hoping that the recipe was good. It was great. I’ll be making this again.
sounds like a winner-
Dad
Remarkable recipe! The Olive Garden in my city has been horrible, good quility and service but I love their chicken scampi. This recipe ipot on. Made with pink grigio and fresh greatest parmesan cheese. Loctili on top and came out supurb!
Tried this recipe tonight. My husband and I both thought it was phenomenal. Definitely making again!
outstanding. I will try with shrimp as well
Awesome need more simple recipe for kids