Chicken Scampi Garlic Parmesan (Printable)
Juicy chicken in lemon butter sauce over creamy garlic parmesan rice, ready in 45 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken and Marinade
01 - 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
05 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
06 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
→ Garlic Parmesan Rice
07 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
08 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
09 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1 cup long-grain white rice
11 - 2 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
12 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
13 - Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
→ Scampi Sauce
14 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
15 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
16 - 5 cloves garlic, minced
17 - Juice of 1 lemon
18 - 1/4 cup dry white wine (or additional chicken broth)
19 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
# Directions:
01 - In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken strips with olive oil, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and lemon juice. Toss to coat evenly and set aside to marinate while preparing the rice.
02 - Heat butter and olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the rice and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the grains are lightly toasted.
03 - Pour the chicken broth into the saucepan, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the rice is tender and the liquid is fully absorbed.
04 - Remove the saucepan from the heat, fold in the grated Parmesan cheese, cover, and let rest for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.
05 - While the rice rests, melt the butter with olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken strips in a single layer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
06 - In the same skillet, add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with white wine (or chicken broth), scraping up any browned bits, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until slightly reduced. Reduce the heat, stir in the lemon juice and parsley, then return the chicken to the skillet, tossing to coat evenly in the sauce.
07 - Spoon the garlic Parmesan rice onto plates and top with the chicken scampi. Garnish with additional Parmesan and fresh parsley if desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- That buttery, garlicky rice alone is worth making, and the chicken on top is basically a bonus.
- Everything cooks in under 45 minutes, which means you get maximum flavor with minimal patience required.
- The lemony scampi sauce pools into the rice and creates something you will want to eat straight from the pan.
02 -
- Do not skip the resting time for the rice after you add the parmesan, because that is when it transforms from sticky to silky.
- Crowding the skillet with too much chicken at once will steam it instead of searing it, so cook in batches if needed.
- If you want to make this gluten free, swap in certified gluten free broth and check your parmesan label for any hidden additives.
03 -
- Pound the chicken to an even thickness before slicing so every strip finishes cooking at exactly the same moment.
- Use a microplane to grate your parmesan straight into the rice off the heat for the smoothest, creamiest texture possible.