Jacked-Up Chicken Scampi
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This Jacked-Up Chicken Scampi with Linguine is my fresh take on a classic Italian dish. This chicken scampi bursts with mouth-watering flavors like bright lemon, perfectly al dente linguine and cooked down tomatoes.
![Chicken Scampi overhead shot of chicken scampi in a skillet](https://www.jocooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/chicken-scampi-with-linguine-1.jpg)
I wanted to take the time and share with you another one of my many favorite recipes from my cookbook. This jacked-up chicken scampi is my version of the famous Italian dish, one that is traditionally made with shrimp. But I chose to make this with chicken instead to give you guys a more affordable option. Of course, the great thing about this dish is that you make it all in one pot and under 30 minutes, pasta and all.
What Is Scampi?
Usually made with either shrimp or lobster, scampi is considered a delicacy. It doesn’t have just one country where it’s commonly eaten, rather it’s enjoyed through out the Mediterranean all the way to Norway and Iceland. It’s served over top of pasta, typically something twirl-able and slurp-able.
I love sharing dishes from my book with you all and this one is one that is near and dear to my heart because it’s packed full of flavor and is deeply satisfying while simultaneously being nice and light. So let’s get into the world beloved scampi!
Do I Have To Use Linguine?
You don’t have to only use linguine if you have something else lying around the cupboard that you’d like to use up. You can use any long noodle, like fettuccine, bucatini, spaghetti, angel hair, etc. But if you really feel like going out there with it, try using some shaped pastas, either way the end result will be spectacularly delicious.
Ingredients
- Butter – Unsalted butter is preferred today to control the sodium content of our dish.
- Chicken – Breast boneless and skinless cubed into bite sized pieces.
- Onion – We want something that cooks down well like white or yellow.
- Garlic – Use as much or little as you like.
- Spices –Dried oregano and red pepper flakes are going to give us flavor and heat to our dish.
- Liquids – White wine (something like sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio), low sodium chicken stock, and fresh lemon juice.
- Hot sauce – Any kind you prefer to add some heat and dimension to this dish. If you’re not a fan of heat feel free to omit this ingredient.
- Linguine – Keep your pasta uncooked as we are going to cook it in our sauce and allow it to absorb all that great flavor.
- Tomatoes – Cherry tomatoes to cook down beautifully and become little flavor bombs in our dish.
- Garnish – Fresh chopped parsley and freshly grated Parmesan to be sprinkled liberally over top.
How To Cook Chicken Scampi
- Brown the chicken: Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
- Saute the sauteables: Add the onion, garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes to the pot and cook for 5 more minutes, or until the onion begins to soften and becomes translucent.
- Create the sauce: Add the wine, chicken stock, hot sauce, lemon juice and linguine. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes, or until the linguine is al dente. If you feel that more liquid is necessary, add 1/2 cup of chicken broth at a time until the pasta is cooked to your preference.
- Finish the dish: Stir in the tomatoes and garnish with parsley and Parmesan cheese.
How to Serve
This dish is deeply satisfying and delicious all on its own or so I like to believe. But if you’d like to turn this into a complete meal here’s some beautiful accompaniments! I prefer to pair it with a salad so here’s some delicious ones I recommend giving a spin.
- Kale And Quinoa Salad With Lemon VinaigrettWarm Kale Salad With Roasted Butternut Squash
- Summer Salad With Herbed Ricotta And Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Tabbouleh Salad
- Mushroom Arugula Warm Salad
Sensitive To Spice?
This is relatively a very spicy dish so be warned. To reduce the amount of heat just cut down either the amount of red pepper flakes or hot sauce used. Keep a glass of milk handy if you’d like to risk it and go all the way with the heat!
Leftovers
More Incredible Pasta Recipes To Try:
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Jacked-Up Chicken Scampi
Video
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon butter (unsalted)
- 1 pound chicken breast (boneless and skinless, cut into small cubes)
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 5 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 cup white wine (I used a dry white wine)
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 12 ounce linguine (uncooked)
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes (halved or quartered)
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped for garnish)
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
- Add the onion, garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes to the pot and cook for 5 more minutes, or until the onion begins to soften and becomes translucent.
- Add the wine, chicken stock, hot sauce, lemon juice and linguine. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes, or until the linguine is al dente. If you feel that more liquid is necessary, add ½ cup of chicken broth at a time until the pasta is cooked to your preference.
- Stir in the tomatoes and garnish with parsley and Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- This is relatively a very spicy dish. To reduce the amount of heat, just cut down the amount of red pepper flakes or hot sauce used.
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.