Ditch The Shrimp: Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Scampi Pasta That Will Melt In Your Mouth

This copycat Olive Garden dish uses chicken instead of shrimp, making it even more of a favorite for anyone in the family. In less than thirty minutes, you will be out of the kitchen serving this over fresh angel hair pasta. Mucho bene!

This is so good you'll stay home instead of eating out!Photo byRichelleg

Ingredients

• Salt, kosher or pink
• One pound of sliced chicken strips, about 1/2 inch
• Three tablespoons of good olive oil
• Eight tablespoons of cubed, unsalted butter
• Half of a large sweet onion, sliced
• Six-eight chopped garlic cloves
• Crushed red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon
• Half a cup of a good, dry white wine or chicken stock
• Angel hair pasta, 12 oz.
• One large lemon's juice and it's zest
• Half a cup of fresh grated Parmesan
• Half a cup of freshly chopped Italian parsley

Please make this, I promise you'll love it!Photo byRichelleg

Directions

For the pasta, bring a big pot of salted water to a boil. Salt the chicken lightly. Add the oil to a large skillet pre-heated to a medium-high temperature. Working in two batches, brown the chicken for two to three minutes on each side, or until golden but not completely cooked through. Put the chicken in a separate side dish for now.

In the same skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Add the garlic, onion, and red pepper flakes, and simmer for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the garlic just starts to turn brown around the edges. After adding the wine or chicken stock, simmer for two minutes or until it has reduced by half. Take off the heat source.

Also good with a bit of basilPhoto byRichelleg

While waiting, cook the pasta until al dente, and save a cup of the pasta water. To the skillet, add back the chicken, pasta, 3/4 cup pasta water, lemon zest, lemon juice, and the remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Put the skillet back over medium-low heat and mix the pasta until the butter melts. If the pasta appears too dry, add the remaining 1/4 of the pasta water. Take the skillet off the burner, add the parsley and grated cheese, stir, and serve with chunky, thick garlic bread.