There’s something about that garlicky, buttery pan sauce at Olive Garden that makes you want to lick the plate when no one’s looking. Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Scampi brings all that lemon-soaked, bell-pepper-loaded magic right to your kitchenand honestly, it tastes even better when you’re not waiting 45 minutes for a table.
I first nailed this one down back in 2019 after my daughter begged me to “make the restaurant chicken” for the third week in a row. The trick? Don’t skimp on the garlic or the butterthis isn’t a subtle dish, and that’s exactly why it works. After testing it about a dozen times (and burning the garlic twice, oops), I figured out the perfect balance of crispy chicken and silky sauce that clings to every bite of pasta.
Enjoy a flavorful Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Scampi made with tender chicken, colorful bell peppers, and angel hair pasta in a rich butter scampi sauce. This comforting dish is perfect for a weeknight dinner with an Italian-American touch.
Ingredients
Scale
12 chicken tenderloins approximately 1.75 pounds
½ cup flour
vegetable oil for frying
½ red bell pepper cut into strips
½ yellow bell pepper cut into strips
½ green bell pepper cut into strips
½ medium red onion sliced
12 ounces angel hair pasta
salt to taste
freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving if desired
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup yellow onion diced
2 Tablespoons garlic minced
1 cup white wine
1 cup chicken stock
2 Tablespoons lemon juice approximately 1 large lemon
1 Tablespoon dried parsley
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ pound unsalted butter 8 tablespoons one stick
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the angel hair pasta. Cook until almost al dente, then reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain the rest. Set pasta aside.
While the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil. Coat each piece of chicken evenly with flour and a pinch of salt, shaking off excess flour.
Fry the chicken pieces in the hot oil until they turn golden brown on each side, about 5 to 7 minutes per side. Add more oil if necessary and cook all chicken pieces. Remove and set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 Tablespoons of butter. Add diced onions and minced garlic, cooking until softened but not browned, about 3 minutes.
Pour in the white wine and allow it to simmer for 2 minutes while scraping any browned bits from the bottom.
Stir in chicken stock, lemon juice, dried parsley, and red pepper flakes. Simmer the mixture for 5 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the remaining 8 Tablespoons of butter until fully incorporated.
Using the pot or a new large skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the sliced bell peppers and red onion, cooking just until they start to soften, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the cooked pasta and the prepared scampi sauce to the peppers and onions. Gently toss everything together to combine without breaking the pasta. Season with salt and pepper to taste, adding reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
Serve the pasta on a large platter or individual plates, topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired, and place the cooked chicken pieces on top.
Notes
There are multiple parts to this recipe, but many can be prepared simultaneously
Consider making the chicken and sauce ahead of time for a quicker meal
Use a dry white wine such as chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, or pinot grigio and avoid sweet varieties
Prep Time:20 minutes
Cook Time:40 minutes
Category:Main Course
Method:Stovetop
Cuisine:American, Italian
Nutrition
Serving Size:1 serving
Calories:901kcal
Sugar:7g
Sodium:279mg
Fat:35g
Saturated Fat:20g
Unsaturated Fat:2g + 9g
Trans Fat:1g
Carbohydrates:87g
Fiber:5g
Protein:48g
Cholesterol:174mg
Why You’ll Love This Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Scampi
This is one of those recipes that looks fancy but comes together without any culinary gymnastics. You get tender chicken, colorful bell peppers, and angel hair pasta all tangled up in a buttery, garlicky sauce that tastes like you’ve been cooking Italian food your whole life.
Restaurant vibes at home: No waiting for a table, no tips to calculate, just you and your kitchen.
Flexible timing: Make the chicken and sauce ahead, then toss everything together when dinner hits.
Crowd-pleaser: Even picky eaters go back for seconds when there’s butter, lemon, and Parmesan involved.
Uses simple ingredients: Everything on this list is grocery-store friendlyno fancy shopping required.
What You’ll Need (Ingredients & Tools Breakdown)
Here’s the beauty of this dish: it’s built on pantry staples and a few fresh ingredients that bring everything to life. You’ll need chicken tenderloins, three colors of bell peppers, and angel hair pasta for the base. The scampi sauce is where the magic happenswhite wine, chicken stock, lemon juice, garlic, and a full stick of butter whisked in at the end.
Pro Tip: Use a white wine you’d actually drink. I usually grab a sauvignon blanc or pinot grigionothing sweet or it’ll throw off the balance.
Ingredient
Why It Matters
Chicken tenderloins
Cook fast and stay tender; no pounding needed
Red, yellow, green bell peppers
Add color, sweetness, and a little crunch
Angel hair pasta
Delicate texture soaks up the sauce beautifully
White wine
Builds depth in the sauce; use something dry
Butter (lots of it)
Creates that silky, restaurant-style finish
How It All Comes Together
Start by getting your pasta water boiling and cook the angel hair just shy of al denteit’ll finish in the sauce later. While that’s happening, dredge your chicken tenderloins in flour and pan-fry them until golden. Don’t crowd the pan or they’ll steam instead of crisp up.
For the scampi sauce, melt butter in a saucepan, cook your diced yellow onion and garlic until soft, then deglaze with white wine. Add chicken stock, lemon juice, parsley, and red pepper flakes, let it simmer, then whisk in the remaining butter off the heat. That final butter addition is what makes the sauce glossy and rich.
Sauté your bell pepper strips and red onion slices until they just start to soften, then toss everythingpasta, sauce, and veggiestogether in one big pot. Top with the crispy chicken and a snowstorm of Parmesan cheese.
Smart Swaps and Tweaks
One of the things I love about this recipe is how forgiving it is. If you don’t have chicken tenderloins, you can use boneless chicken breasts sliced thin. No angel hair? Linguine or fettuccine work great. And if you’re out of white wine, a splash of extra chicken stock with a squeeze of lemon keeps things bright.
Original
Swap
Chicken tenderloins
Thinly sliced chicken breasts or thighs
Angel hair pasta
Linguine, spaghetti, or fettuccine
White wine
Extra chicken stock + 1 tsp white wine vinegar
Fresh lemon juice
Bottled lemon juice (in a pinch)
Dried parsley
Fresh parsley, chopped (double the amount)
Serving and Storing Your Scampi
Serve this straight from the stove in a big, beautiful bowl with extra Parmesan and maybe some crusty bread to mop up the sauce. It’s one of those dishes that tastes best when it’s still steaming and the butter is clinging to every strand of pasta.
Leftovers keep in the fridge in an airtight container. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of chicken stock or pasta water to bring the sauce back to lifemicrowaving can make the pasta gummy. The chicken might lose a little crispness, but the flavor stays just as good.
Note: If you’re meal-prepping, cook the chicken and sauce ahead, then toss with freshly cooked pasta and veggies right before serving.
Troubleshooting Tips from My Kitchen
The first time I made this, I added the butter to the sauce while it was still on high heat and it separated into a greasy puddle. The fix? Always whisk in that final stick of butter off the heat so it emulsifies into the sauce instead of breaking.
Sauce too thin? Let it simmer a bit longer before adding the butter, or toss in an extra pat at the end.
Pasta sticking together? Save that pasta water and use it to loosen things up when you toss everything together.
Chicken not crispy? Make sure your oil is hot before adding the floured chicken, and don’t flip too early.
Garlic burning? Keep the heat at medium and stir oftenburnt garlic is bitter and there’s no coming back from it.
How I Finally Nailed This Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Scampi
I burned the garlic twice and overcooked the chicken once before this Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Scampi turned out right. The third time, I finally got the timing down and the sauce came together silky and perfect. Now it tastes just like the restaurant version, maybe even better.
FAQs ( Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Scampi )
What pasta works best for this recipe?
Angel hair or thin spaghetti are ideal because they cook quickly and absorb the garlic butter sauce perfectly. The delicate pasta won’t overpower the tender chicken and light sauce. I recommend cooking it just until al dente to prevent mushiness when tossed with the hot sauce.
Can I use frozen chicken for this dish?
Yes, but thaw it completely first and pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Frozen chicken that’s not properly thawed will release water during cooking, making the sauce watery. For best results, let it reach room temperature before seasoning and cooking.
How do I prevent the sauce from separating?
Keep the heat at medium-low when adding butter to prevent breaking the emulsion. Add cold butter pieces gradually while whisking constantly. If the sauce does separate, remove from heat and whisk in a tablespoon of cold cream or pasta water to bring it back together.
What can I substitute for white wine?
Chicken broth with a splash of lemon juice works perfectly as a non-alcoholic substitute. You can also use additional pasta water or low-sodium vegetable broth. The key is maintaining the liquid balance for the sauce while adding some acidity to brighten the flavors.
How long does this meal keep in the refrigerator?
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. The sauce may thicken when cold, so add a splash of chicken broth or cream when reheating. Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat rather than the microwave to maintain the sauce texture.
Now It’s Your Turn to Make This Magic
You’ll love how Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Scampi fills your kitchen with that garlicky, lemony smell that makes everyone wander in asking when dinner’s ready. It comes together quickly, tastes like you ordered takeout from a fancy Italian spot, and honestly? The leftovers might be even better the next day when all those flavors have had time to get cozy together.
If you want a little extra kick, toss in more red pepper flakes or swap the chicken for shrimp halfway through. I’ve also made this with zucchini noodles when I’m trying to sneak in more veggies, and it still tastes incredible. For reheating, add a splash of chicken stock or even a little cream to bring that sauce back to lifeit keeps the pasta from drying out and makes it taste just as silky as the first night.
I’d love to see your version of this onetag me if you make it or drop a comment about how your family liked it. Did someone lick their plate when they thought no one was looking? That’s how you know it’s a winner. Save this recipe for your next weeknight dinner or whenever you need a little restaurant magic without leaving home.
Sharing a handpicked collection of easy, healthy recipes made in our family kitchen. Rachel brings comforting classics, while Emily adds fresh, modern ideas together creating meals that are simple, flavorful, and family-friendly.
