Chicken Scampi Pasta features a delicious garlic butter sauce that is both light and satisfying. This recipe, inspired by our Shrimp Scampi Pasta, received great praise from our family as they eagerly devoured their plates.

My kids were particularly fond of the lemon flavor and went back for seconds, as did my husband. It’s truly a wonderful feeling when everyone at the dinner table is thoroughly pleased.

We are big fans of chicken pasta recipes, including Chicken Alfredo, Lemon Chicken Pasta, and Chicken Tetrazzini. If you love pasta as much as we do, you must give this Chicken Scampi Pasta a try.

What defines a dish as scampi?

In the US, most people associate Scampi with the Italian-American concept of Shrimp Scampi. However, scampi on its own refers to a dish served in a sauce made of butter, garlic, and dry white wine. Scampi can be made with various ingredients, including lobster, scallops, and chicken scampi.

Ingredients for Chicken Scampi

• Pasta – use 12 oz spaghetti and salt the water
• Chicken Tenders – the easiest and most forgiving chicken to work with
• Salt, Pepper, Flour – to dredge the chicken
• Olive Oil, Butter – to cook the chicken and make sauce (do not skimp on the butter)
• White Wine – use a dry wine such as chardonnay or sauvignon blanc
• Garlic – 4 cloves, or 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• Lemon – you’ll need 1 tsp of zest and 1/4 cup lemon juice from 1 large or 2 medium lemons
• Parsley – finely chopped and added at the end

How to Make Chicken Scampi

• Prep – before heating the stove, make sure to chop, zest, juice, and mince all the necessary ingredients. Season the chicken tenders with salt and pepper, then coat them with flour, shaking off any excess.
• Cook Pasta – Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot, covering it partially to keep warm.
• Sauté Chicken – While the pasta is cooking, sauté the chicken. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl in 1 tablespoon of butter. Sauté the chicken for about 2 minutes per side until golden and fully cooked (reaching an internal temperature of 165˚F on a thermometer). Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm. Add another tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet, then sauté the remaining chicken before transferring it to the plate as well.

• Make Sauce – Deglaze the skillet with 3/4 cup of white wine and cook for about 5 minutes until it reduces to about 1/4 cup of liquid. Add 4 tablespoons of butter and stir until melted. Add the garlic and simmer for 30 seconds until fragrant. Remove the skillet from heat and add 1/4 cup of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of lemon zest, and 1/4 cup of parsley. Stir to combine and season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt or to taste.
• Combine – Return the chicken to the skillet and coat it with the sauce. Transfer the drained pasta to a large serving bowl, then tilt the skillet and spoon any extra sauce over the spaghetti. Lightly toss the spaghetti with the sauce, then top it with the chicken and drizzle any remaining sauce over the pasta*. Garnish with additional parsley and freshly shredded parmesan cheese.