Garlicky Chicken Scampi with Linguine
This chicken is bathed in a sauce of butter, garlic, and white wine.
Serves4 to 6
Prep15 minutes
Cook20 minutes
Scampi actually isn’t a dish, but a type of large shrimp-like shellfish. Being both tricky to source and costly, many Italian-American restaurants and home cooks reach for the more accessible shrimp instead. But saying “shrimp scampi” is sort of like saying “PIN number” — you already said the word!
Whether you’re using the traditional langoustine or not, the “scampi-style” cooking technique simply means bathing everything in a butter, garlic, and white wine sauce. The protein can be eaten on its own as an appetizer, or tossed with pasta for a complete meal. Swapping in chicken makes it budget-friendly and just as delicious.
What Is Wondra Flour?
When I was developing this recipe, I started by adding the cooked chicken to the pasta. It worked just fine, but it felt a bit like an afterthought (and I wanted the chicken to stand on its own). I tried coating the small pieces in flour, but the chicken ended up overcooking by the time I browned each side. If I skipped a thorough browning, the uncooked flour ended up gummy. So I took a cue from a Jacques Pépin recipe and reached for Wondra flour instead.
Wondra flour is precooked, superfine flour, often used for quick gravies and pan sauces. It’s sold in a charmingly retro handheld coaster that makes it easy for dusting over the chicken. Because it’s partially cooked, it browns quickly before the chicken overcooks, creating a light coating that’s toasty and never gummy. I knew I nailed it when my teenager rooted around through the noodles for the chicken pieces, exclaiming how good they were.
Why This Recipe Is a Family Favorite
My household is split when it comes to shellfish; my daughter and I can’t get enough of it, while my son and husband give it a hard pass. Chicken scampi is the perfect way for all of us to get that delicious garlic-butter sauce, with a protein everyone likes. Ready in a flash and budget-friendly to boot, it’s an easy weeknight win.
Chicken Scampi Recipe
This chicken is bathed in a sauce of butter, garlic, and white wine.
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 20 minutes
Serves 4 to 6
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 6 cloves
garlic
- 1 large handful
fresh parsley
- 1
small lemon
- 2
small boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound total)
- 2 tablespoons
Wondra flour
- 1/4 teaspoon
kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water and seasoning
- 1 pound
dried linguine pasta
- 2 tablespoons
olive oil
- 4 tablespoons
unsalted butter
- 1/8 teaspoon
red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup
white wine
- 1/2 cup
low-sodium chicken broth
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, finely chop 6 cloves garlic. Pick the leaves from 1 large handful fresh parsley and finely chop until you have 1/4 cup. Finely grate the zest of 1/2 small lemon (about 1 teaspoon). Juice the lemon until you have 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Pat 2 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts dry with paper towels, then cut into 1-inch pieces. Place in a medium bowl, sprinkle wiith 2 tablespoons Wondra flour and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and toss to coat.
Add 1 pound dried linguine pasta to the boiling water and cook 2 minutes less than the package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta.
While the pasta is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook until browned on the bottom, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip the chicken and browned on a second side and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel-lined plate.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add 4 tablespoons unsalted butter to the pan. When the butter is melted, add the garlic and 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant, 1 to 2, reducing the heat if it begins to brown. Add 1/2 cup dry white wine and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the wine is reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth and reduce the heat to low to maintain a simmer.
Add the linguine, 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water, and the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan. Increase the heat to medium-high and toss the pasta and chicken with tongs until fully coated in sauce. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, adding more pasta water a few spoonfuls at a time if it begins to look dry. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the lemon juice, zest, and parsley, and toss to combine. Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.