Description
Chicken Scampi dances onto your plate with zesty garlic and tender chicken nestled against a bed of creamy parmesan rice. Perfectly balanced flavors create a weeknight dinner that feels like a restaurant-quality meal without complex cooking techniques.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 1 lb chicken tenderloins
Seasonings:
- 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
- 0.25 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
Cooking Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 stick butter (0.5 cup)
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
- 0.5 cup dry white wine
- 3.5 cups chicken broth
- 1.5 cups uncooked white rice
- 0.5 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Sprinkle 1 lb chicken tenderloins with ½ teaspoon garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat at 350°F.
- Sear chicken for 5-6 minutes until golden brown, cooking each side for 2-3 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Melt 1 stick (½ cup) butter in the same skillet over medium heat at 325°F. Add 2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes.
- Sauté garlic mixture for 45-60 seconds until your kitchen fills with a fragrant aroma. Pour in ½ cup dry white wine and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Let the liquid simmer and reduce for 2-3 minutes, scraping any browned bits from the pan’s bottom.
- Add 3 ½ cups chicken broth and increase heat to high until liquid reaches a gentle boil.
- Stir in 1 ½ cups uncooked white rice. Reduce heat to low, cover the skillet, and let rice absorb liquid for 18-20 minutes.
- Check rice for tenderness. If needed, add extra broth ¼ cup at a time until rice reaches desired consistency.
- Return chicken to the skillet. Sprinkle ½ cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese and gently fold until cheese melts completely.
- Remove from heat and serve immediately while the dish remains warm and creamy.
Notes
- Always pat chicken dry before seasoning to ensure a crisp, golden-brown exterior that seals in moisture.
- Use a dry white wine with good acidity, like Sauvignon Blanc, to enhance the sauce’s depth and brighten the overall flavor.
- When cooking rice in broth, resist the urge to stir too often, which can make the rice gummy and release excess starch.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular rice with cauliflower rice and use cornstarch instead of flour for thickening if needed.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 23-31 minutes
- Category: Sautéed
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg