Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Scampi
Copycat Olive Garden chicken scampi is a delicious creamy garlic lemon pasta dish with tender chicken and fresh vegetables you can prep on a weeknight.
For years Olive Garden's chicken scampi was my go-to order. It's been ages and ages since we've dined out there so I thought I'd introduce my kids to one of my favorite pasta dishes.
Delicate thin spaghetti is coated in a creamy lemon garlic sauce. The tender chicken tenderloins and crisp bell peppers are what make this dish so delicious.
With a few easy prep tips, you can serve this even on a busy weeknight!
Why This is the Best Recipe
Pasta is a whole food group in our family. I'm always looking for fun new ways to serve it. I think this is the best chicken scampi recipe because:
- Meal Kit Friendly: You can pre-chop the veggies and season the chicken for a grab-and-cook meal kit right in your fridge.
- Fresh and Flavorful: Homemade lemon cream sauces take so few ingredients and are so delicious.
- Picky Eater-Friendly: You can serve the tender chicken and veggies on the side if you've got picky eaters or assemble the dish as directed.
Ingredients
You only need a few things to make the chicken scampi at home:
- Thin Spaghetti: This is my favorite long noodle shape for this dish but you could use regular spaghetti, linguine, or even fettuccine if you prefer.
- Red and Yellow Bell Peppers
- Red Onion
- Chicken Breast Tenderloins: This is what Olive Garden uses but you could cut up chicken breasts into chunks if you prefer.
- Butter
- Minced Garlic
- Chicken Broth
- Lemon
- Heavy Cream
Everything else you likely have in your pantry right now but check the recipe card for quantities and printable instructions.
Boil the Pasta
Set a large pot of water on to boil as you prep the chicken and veggies.
If you add the pasta to the water just as you begin to cook the chicken, your pasta will be ready when the sauce is finished. Just drain it and set aside if it finishes early so you don't over cook it.
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Season the Chicken
Place the chicken in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the top and then sprinkle half of the flour.
Toss the chicken to coat it on all sides in the flour. Set aside.
Prep the Veggies
Slice the red onion and bell peppers thinly. It helps to do this all in advance because the final dish comes together really quickly.
Brown the Chicken and Veggies
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add half the butter and all of the olive oil and bring them to a bubble. Shake off the excess flour from the chicken and arrange the tenderloins in a single layer in the pan. You may have to work in batches if your pan isn't as big as mine.
Brown the chicken on the first side for 4 minutes. Flip the chicken and brown the other side for 4 minutes. Then transfer the chicken to a clean plate. Don't worry about it not cooking completely through, it will come back to the skillet later.
Add the remaining butter to the now-empty skillet. Once it melts, add the vegetables. Stir and cook them for 3 - 5 minute sor until they are just starting to soften.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the plate with the chicken.
Build the Cream Sauce
Add the minced garlic to the empty pan and stir for 30 seconds. Add the remaining flour and stir for another 30 seconds.
Drizzle in the chicken stock, add the Italian herb seasoning and crushed red pepper flakes, and whisk it all together. Use your whisk to scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Reduce the heat to medium and let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the lemon juice and heavy cream to the skillet and whisk them in.
Bring the cream sauce to a bubble and then transfer the chicken and vegetables back to the skillet to warm through and come to temperature.
The chicken should read 170°F at the thickest part of the meat.
Assemble the Pasta Dish
You can choose to add the cooked and drained pasta to the skillet and toss it directly in the sauce before serving or you can fix a plate for your picky eaters and serve the chicken and veggies separately from the noodles.
If you add the pasta right to the skillet, I suggest tossing it in the sauce with a pair of tongs and then covering the skillet. Keep the heat on low and let the pasta absorb the sauce for 2 minutes before serving.
Make Ahead Tips
This pasta dish is best served fresh after you've finished it.
If you want to get a jump start on dinner, you could prep a DIY Meal Kit instead:
- Season the Chicken: You can pre-season the chicken, just keep the floured chicken separate in a plastic storage bag or airtight dish.
- Chop the Vegetables: You can pre-chop the onion and peppers. Just store them in another plastic storage bag or dish.
- Gather Your Ingredients: Keep the remaining ingredients on a meal prep tray in the fridge. It will save you the time of hunting them down and make it even more likely you'll get dinner cooked tonight!
Serving Suggestions
If you want to serve this chicken scampi just like Olive Garden does, why not offer your family breadsticks and an Olive Garden salad??
You could also serve it with warm focaccia or crispy garlic bread if you prefer.
If you want to add even more veggies, it would pair really well with my parmesan roasted zucchini or parmesan asparagus.
More Easy Pasta Recipes
Looking for more easy pasta dinners for your family? Don't miss my Olive Garden Crockpot Chicken and pasta and these other delicious recipes:
📖 Recipe
Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Scampi
Ingredients
- 1 package boneless, skinless chicken breast tenderloins about 8 tenderloins
- Sprinkle of salt & pepper
- 1/4 cup flour divided
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper sliced
- 1/2 red onion sliced
- 1 (16 oz) package of thin spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons butter divided
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried Italian herb blend
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle it with the salt and pepper. Add just 2 tablespoons of the flour and toss to coat again. Set aside.
- Prep the veggies and set aside.
- Boil the pasta according to the package directions. I always use the lowest time listed on the box so the pasta is very firm and can soften up in the pasta sauce. Drain and set aside.
- Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add just 2 tablespoons of the butter and all of the olive oil. Let the butter melt. Once it is bubbling, use a fork to shake off any excess flour from each chicken tenderloin and place them in a single layer in the skillet. Cook for 4 minutes on the first side and then flip the chicken over. Cook for an additional 4 minutes on the other side. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate and set aside.
- Add the additional 2 tablespoons of butter to the no-empty pan. Once it has melted, add the sliced bell peppers and onion. Stir and cook for 3 - 5 minutes or until the peppers are just beginning to soften. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the vegetables to the same plate the chicken is resting on.
- Add the minced garlic to the pan and stir for 30 seconds. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour to the pan and whisk it into the butter for 20 - 30 seconds.
- Pour in the chicken broth and whisk it into the flour. Add the red pepper flakes and Italian seasoning to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the lemon juice and heavy cream to the skillet and stir it into the sauce.
- Transfer the peppers and chicken back to the pan. Stir them into the sauce and let them warm up again for 2 - 3 minutes.
- Add the pasta to the pan and use the tongs to gently toss the pasta in the sauce. Cover the skillet and let the pasta heat through for 2 minutes. Serve immediately.
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My 11 year old granddaughter made this for her family (with a little help from me)! It was delicious! Everyone loved it!