Olive Garden Chicken Scampi

This Olive Garden Chicken Scampi copycat recipe is made with a creamy garlic white wine sauce, bell peppers and juicy breaded chicken.

This restaurant-quality dish is so easy to make at home. It’s perfect for a cozy dinner or impressing guests!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Restaurant quality at home: Enjoy the flavours of Olive Garden without even leaving your kitchen.
• Ultimate comfort food: The creamy parmesan sauce over this pasta is oh-so-cozy and satisfying.

Ingredients and substitutions

• Olive oil – or any other neutral cooking oil like canola, avocado or grapeseed oil.
• Chicken tenders – cut up boneless skinless chicken breasts, or use boneless skinless chicken thighs or turkey breasts instead.
• Flour – all-purpose flour is best but you could also try using whole wheat or gluten-free flour.
• Italian seasoning – you can use store-bought or make your own homemade Italian seasoning.
• Angel hair pasta – scampi is traditionally served over angel hair pasta but you can use any pasta of your choice like spaghetti or fettucine.
• Red, yellow and green peppers – feel free to use whatever colour bell peppers you have on hand.
• Red onion – white onion, yellow onion or shallots would also be good here.
• Butter – olive oil would also work.
• Garlic – I prefer fresh minced garlic, but jarred minced garlic would work in a pinch.
• Chicken broth – vegetable broth or stock have a similar flavor.
• Dry white wine – use a dry white wine like sauvignon blanc, chardonnay or pinot grigio. For an alcohol-free option, use an equal amount of broth or stock.
• Heavy cream – half and half or whole milk can be used, but the sauce won’t be as creamy.
• Parmesan cheese – nutritional yeast is a great dairy-free substitute for parmesan.
• Parsley – for garnish.

How to make Olive Garden chicken scampi

Step 1: Bread the chicken.

Mix flour and Italian seasoning in a bowl, toss the chicken tenders, and season with salt and pepper.

Step 2: Cook the chicken.

Sauté the chicken until fully cooked.

Step 3: Sauté the veggies and cook pasta.

Sauté bell peppers and onion. Cook the pasta, then drain.

Step 4: Make the sauce.

Sauté garlic, then stir in chicken broth, white wine, and cream. Blend in parmesan.

Step 5: Mix everything together.

Add pasta and veggies and toss gently to combine.

Step 6: Serve and enjoy!

Top with chicken tenders, garnish with parsley and parmesan, and serve.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make this recipe without wine?

Yes, you can substitute the white wine with chicken broth or a splash of lemon juice for a similar depth of flavour.

Can I make this dairy-free?

Yes, use a plant-based butter, nutritional yeast instead of parmesan and your favourite dairy-free cream alternative to keep the sauce creamy without the dairy.

How do I make the sauce thicker?

Stir in some reserved pasta water and let the sauce simmer uncovered until it reaches your desired consistency.

How do I keep the chicken tender?

Cook it just until golden and no longer pink inside. Cutting the chicken into thin strips will also help it cook quickly and evenly.

What to serve with Olive Garden chicken scampi

This chicken scampi Olive Garden recipe is probably all you need for a meal! That being said, if you want to serve something on the side, try out any of these:

• Copycat Olive Garden salad or a regular green side salad
• Zuppa Toscana or chicken gnocchi soup
• Garlic bread, fresh crusty bread or Olive Garden breadsticks
• Garlic parmesan asparagus
• Corn on the cob

How to store and reheat

Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Reheat: Warm in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of broth or water to loosen the sauce, or microwave until heated through.

Freeze and reheat from frozen: You can freeze the chicken tenders, but make everything else fresh! Thaw the chicken in the fridge overnight, then reheat and toss with freshly cooked pasta.

Meal prep tools for this recipe

• Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on storing the leftovers.
• I get all my free-range chicken from Butcher Box, conveniently delivered to me frozen.