Chicken Scampi Garlic Parmesan Rice (Printable)
Tender lemon-garlic chicken strips served over buttery parmesan rice with a zesty white wine sauce.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken & Marinade
01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt
04 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
05 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
06 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
→ Garlic Parmesan Rice
07 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter
08 - 1 tbsp 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 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ Scampi Sauce
14 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
15 - 2 tbsp olive oil
16 - 5 cloves garlic, minced
17 - Juice of 1 lemon
18 - 1/4 cup dry white wine (or chicken broth)
19 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
# How To Make:
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 frequently, until the grains are lightly toasted.
03 - Pour in the chicken broth, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the rice is tender and the liquid is fully absorbed. Remove from heat, fold in the Parmesan cheese, replace the lid, and let rest for 5 minutes.
04 - 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.
05 - In the same skillet, add the remaining minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with white wine (or additional 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 pan, tossing to coat evenly in the sauce.
06 - 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 -
- The garlic Parmesan rice alone is worth making, and it soaks up every drop of that lemony scampi sauce like a dream.
- It comes together in under an hour with ingredients you probably already have hanging around your kitchen.
- Cleaning one skillet and one saucepan means you will not spend your entire evening washing dishes.
02 -
- Do not stir the rice while it simmers or you will end up with something closer to paste than fluffy grains, patience is the only tool that works here.
- Letting the Parmesan rice rest off the heat for those five minutes is the difference between gummy and creamy, so resist the urge to dig in early.
03 -
- Pat the chicken strips dry before marinating so the seasoning actually adheres and you get a proper sear instead of a steam.
- Grate your Parmesan from a wedge instead of using the canned stuff, because it melts smoother and tastes exponentially better.