Chicken Scampi With Garlic Parmesan Rice (Print Page)
Tender chicken in buttery lemon garlic sauce over cheesy parmesan rice, ready in 45 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken & Marinade
01 - 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced 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 grated Parmesan cheese
13 - Salt and 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 chicken broth)
19 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
# Directions:
01 - In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken strips with olive oil, salt, black pepper, crushed 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 frequently, 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 tight-fitting 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, re-cover, and let rest for 5 minutes to allow the cheese to melt and the flavors to meld.
05 - While the rice rests, heat butter and 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 remaining minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with the white wine (or additional chicken broth), scraping up any browned bits, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until slightly reduced. Lower the heat, stir in the lemon juice and chopped 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 extra Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley as desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The garlicky lemon butter sauce seeps into every grain of parmesan rice, making each bite feel indulgent without requiring hours of work.
- It uses one skillet for the chicken and sauce, which means cleanup is shockingly painless for something that tastes restaurant quality.
02 -
- Do not skip toasting the rice in the garlic butter before adding broth because that one extra minute creates a nutty depth you cannot get any other way.
- Resist the urge to stir the rice while it simmers because lifting the lid releases steam and leads to gummy texture instead of fluffy grains.
03 -
- Let the chicken strips sit undisturbed in the skillet for the full three minutes before flipping because patience is what creates that deep golden crust.
- Grate the parmesan while the rice is simmering so it is ready the moment you need it, because adding it while the rice is piping hot ensures perfect melting.