Olive Garden Chicken Scampi
This recipe is just as good as the Olive Garden's. It's rated a 3 out of 5 on the difficulty scale. We love it! This is an adopted recipe, and I hope to make it soon.
This recipe is just as good as the Olive Garden's. It's rated a 3 out of 5 on the difficulty scale. We love it! This is an adopted recipe, and I hope to make it soon.
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- olive oil
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 red onion thinly sliced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 3/4 cup white wine
- black pepper
- 2 teaspoons italian seasoning
- 3/4 cup milk hot
- 2 tablespoons garlic crushed
- 1 tablespoon dried cilantro (optional)
- 1/2 lb angel hair pasta cooked and drained
- 2 bell peppers thinly sliced
- 10 garlic cloves roasted
- 2 chicken breasts sliced
- Carbohydrate 96.5244610268914 g
- Cholesterol 681.22685755877 mg
- Fat 123.319683639703 g
- Fiber 4.12175007760551 g
- Protein 160.7882917654 g
- Saturated Fat 43.6910659177203 g
- Serving Size 1 1 -4 serving(s) (1195g)
- Sodium 746.777149987681 mg
- Sugar 92.4027109492859 g
- Trans Fat 11.2251728147398 g
- Calories 2179 calories
Step-by-step
- For white sauce: Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan, add 2 tablespoons flour and cook for 2 minutes on medium heat, stirring constantly. Slowly add 3/4 cup hot milk (hot so it won't get lumpy). Set aside. (Make sure that the white sauce is hot when adding to the scampi sauce).
- For scampi sauce: Heat butter over low heat. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, and black pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes on low heat. Add the wine and chicken broth. Stir until combined. (I usually cook mine for about 30-40 minutes). Add 1/4 cup white sauce and cook until slightly thickened.
- Flatten chicken tenders, coat with Wondra flour & brown in a large skillet with a little olive oil until nearly done.
- Add the peppers and onions, sauté until chicken is done. Add the sauce and sauté until everything is warmed.
- Add roasted garlic cloves.
- Serve over pasta.
- ROASTED GARLIC: Separate head of garlic into individual cloves (still in their papery skins). Toss in olive oil and wrap tightly in aluminum foil or a small pint-sized dish with a lid. Bake in a 350° oven for 30 minutes. When the garlic has cooled to the touch, you should be able to squeeze it out of the papery shell of the individual cloves.
My Olive Garden Chicken Scampi Adventure: A Home Cook's Tale
As a busy working mom, finding time to cook delicious, restaurant-quality meals can feel like a Herculean task. Weeknights are a whirlwind of school pick-ups, homework battles, and the ever-present demands of keeping a household running smoothly. But, just like many women, I still crave those moments of culinary satisfaction – those evenings when the aroma of a well-prepared dish fills the kitchen, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere for family dinners. That's why I was so excited to try this copycat Olive Garden Chicken Scampi recipe. I'd always adored their scampi, but the thought of recreating it at home seemed daunting. This recipe, however, proved to be surprisingly achievable, even amidst the chaos of my everyday life.
The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity. While the final dish boasts a rich and sophisticated flavor profile, the steps are surprisingly straightforward. No complicated techniques or obscure ingredients are required – it's a recipe that empowers even the most time-constrained home cook to create restaurant-quality food. I loved how I could easily adjust the spice level to suit our family's preferences. The use of roasted garlic added a depth of flavor that elevated the dish beyond my expectations. The subtle sweetness of the roasted garlic perfectly complemented the savory chicken and the creamy, slightly tangy scampi sauce. My kids, who usually are picky eaters, devoured the dish! It was a true testament to its appeal and how easy it was to make it.
Beyond its practicality, making this dish felt like a mini-escape. The process, from carefully roasting the garlic to the satisfying sizzle of the chicken in the pan, provided a much-needed respite from the daily grind. It was a chance to focus on something creative and nourishing, a quiet moment of self-care amidst the bustle. The act of preparing a meal, especially one as delicious as this, feels immensely rewarding. It's a tangible expression of love and care for my family, and it’s a simple way to cultivate those valuable moments of connection around the dinner table. This scampi recipe quickly became a family favorite, a staple in our weeknight rotation, and a reminder that even amidst the challenges of modern life, we can always find time for simple pleasures, like a home-cooked meal that tastes better than takeout.
The satisfaction of creating this dish wasn’t solely about the final product; it was about the journey. From reading the recipe, anticipating the flavors, to the careful steps of preparing each ingredient, it was a fulfilling experience. It showed me how accessible restaurant-quality food can be, and it boosted my confidence in the kitchen. The success of this recipe didn't just fill our bellies; it filled my heart with pride and joy – the joy of creating something delicious and the pride in successfully tackling a new culinary challenge. And that, in itself, is priceless. It's more than just a recipe; it’s a testament to the power of simple, satisfying meals to bring families together and to remind us to savor those moments of connection.
More than just a meal: This Olive Garden copycat scampi is a reminder that cooking doesn't have to be complicated. It's an achievable goal for even the busiest of us, a way to treat ourselves and our families to a delicious experience without spending a fortune or slaving away in the kitchen for hours. The ease of the recipe combined with the stunning flavor profile makes this a keeper! It’s a recipe I'll revisit often, and I encourage you to try it too.
