Recipe: Chicken Scampi

Scampi … that wonderfully buttery garlicy dish… I usually make it with scallops or shrimp… but I decided I wanted to make it with chicken… and recently saw it on the menu at Olive Garden.. theirs has more ingredients added… peppers and onions… they use roasted garlic… I really love roasted garlic .. I like to have some in the fridge all the time… decided mushrooms would be a good addition… so the recipe was coming slowly together…

The end result was very flavorful and delicious… not a traditional scampi.. but who says you have to always be traditional anyway?

TIPS

I used bell peppers.. red and green.. you can also use yellow… I was tempted to leave them out.. but I’m glad I added them in.. it gave the sauce a really nice flavor. I used, what would have been one pepper… so half red… half green…

I decided on red onion… glad I made that choice too… it needed a stronger flavored onion.. in fact I ended up adding some onion powder to the sauce as well.

Roasted garlic… what can I say about roasted garlic… it has a wonderfully light buttery flavor… so if you use roasted garlic .. you will need lots.. it isn’t a typo when I list 3 tablespoons. Keep in mind.. I make my own roasted garlic.. so if you buy commercially made roasted garlic… you may have to adjust your quantities… start small and taste… and then adjust.

Making your own roasted garlic is easy and really quick.. I highly recommend it… Click here for instructions.

If you use regular garlic cloves… figure 3-4 medium sized cloves, minced. Again.. you can always add more…

I added white wine to my recipe… I use a Sauvignon Blanc… Yellow Tail is what’s in the cupboard now. It’s not expensive and gives so many dishes a really great flavor… the alcohol cooks off and leaves a wonderful flavor.

If you want to leave out the wine.. I suggest you use chicken broth or stock as a replacement.

Use my quantities of spices as a guide.. keep in mind… depending on the quality and the age of your spices.. yours may be stronger or weaker than mine… that also goes for the garlic and onion powders. Start with the low range and taste it… adjust as you go… that’s what I do. I started with the low amount and ended up with the high amount.. you may like it somewhere in between.

Because I dredged my chicken in seasoned flour first.. my sauce thickened up.. I ended up adding more butter… while it is loaded with fat… that … my friend is Scampi.. you could substitute with margarine.

This recipe makes 2 large servings… with a little extra… or 4 average servings. If you’re serving bread and salad with this.. figure 4 servings.

Serve this on a bed of spaghetti or angel hair pasta… let the excess sauce coat the pasta.. yummmm!

 







Recipe: Chicken Scampi

All you need:

4 thin boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
½ cup seasoned flour (flour, sprinkling of pepper, salt and garlic powder)
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons roasted garlic (See TIPS)
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
1-2 teaspoons dried basil
½ - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon salt
½ - ¾ cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 bell pepper, thinly sliced (See TIPS)
½ cup thinly sliced red onion
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced (Optional)
½ -1 teaspoon garlic powder (or to taste)
½ -1 teaspoon onion powder (or to taste)
Grated Parmesan cheese
Cooked Pasta

 All you need to do:

In a large skillet, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium high heat. Do not let the butter brown.

Add the roasted garlic.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, dredge the chicken in seasoned flour. 

Add the chicken to the hot butter and oil. Add the parsley, basil and oregano. Sprinkle with salt. Cook until chicken is white.

Add the peppers, onions, and mushrooms. Stir well and cook for about 5 minutes.

Lower the heat and add the white wine and lemon juice. Simmer about 10 minutes.

Taste the sauce and add garlic powder and onion powder to taste if needed.

Serve over cooked pasta with grated Parmesan cheese.