Chicken Scampi Garlic Parmesan (Print version)
Tender chicken in lemon garlic butter sauce paired with creamy parmesan rice for a satisfying Italian-inspired dinner.
# What goes in:
→ Chicken & Marinade
01 - 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
05 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
06 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
→ Garlic Parmesan Rice
07 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
08 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
09 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1 cup long-grain white rice
11 - 2 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
12 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
13 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ Scampi Sauce
14 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
15 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
16 - 5 cloves garlic, minced
17 - Juice of 1 lemon
18 - 1/4 cup dry white wine (or chicken broth)
19 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
# Cooking steps:
01 - In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken strips with olive oil, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and lemon juice. Toss to coat evenly and set aside to marinate while preparing the rice.
02 - Heat butter and olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the rice and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the grains are lightly toasted.
03 - Pour the chicken broth into the saucepan, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer for 15 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid is fully absorbed.
04 - Remove the saucepan from heat, fold in the grated Parmesan cheese, re-cover, and let rest for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.
05 - While the rice rests, melt butter with olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken strips and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
06 - In the same skillet, add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute over medium heat. Deglaze the pan with white wine, scraping up any browned bits, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until slightly reduced. Reduce the heat, stir in the lemon juice and fresh parsley, then return the chicken to the pan, tossing to coat evenly in the sauce.
07 - Spoon the garlic Parmesan rice onto plates and top with the chicken scampi. Garnish with additional Parmesan and fresh parsley as desired.
# Tips from flavorandfeast:
01 -
- The buttery lemon sauce clings to every grain of rice in a way that makes seconds unavoidable.
- It tastes like something you would order at a cozy Italian bistro, but it comes together on a random weeknight with zero fuss.
- Cleanup is surprisingly painless since the chicken and sauce happen in one skillet.
02 -
- Do not rush the wine deglazing step because that quick reduction is where the sauce develops its depth rather than tasting flat.
- Crowding the skillet with chicken will cause steaming instead of searing, so cook in two batches if necessary.
03 -
- Let the chicken rest for two minutes after cooking before returning it to the sauce so the juices redistribute instead of running out onto the plate.
- Grating the parmesan on the finest holes of your box grater ensures it melts invisibly into the rice rather than creating stringy clumps.