Chicken Scampi with Creamy Garlic Parmesan Rice
A restaurant-quality dish pairing golden pan-seared chicken in a lemon-garlic sauce with indulgent parmesan-infused rice. Ready in 30 minutes with bold Mediterranean flavors, fresh parsley, and balanced richness.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 30
- Yield: 4 servings
- Method: Sauté
- Cuisine: Italian-American
- Diet: Halal
Ingredients
Chicken breasts (1 lb), cut into bite-sized pieces
Olive oil (2 tablespoons)
Butter (3 tablespoons), divided
Garlic cloves (5), minced
Red chili flakes (1 teaspoon), optional
Lemon juice (2 tablespoons), fresh squeezed
Fresh parsley (2 tablespoons), chopped
Heavy cream (1/2 cup)
Parmesan cheese (1/2 cup), freshly grated
Rice (1 1/4 cups)
Chicken broth (2 cups), low-sodium
Salt (to taste)
Black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium. Sear chicken until golden (5-6 minutes per side). Remove from pan.
Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter to pan, sauté garlic 1-2 minutes. Add chili flakes (if using), lemon juice, and 1/2 the cooked chicken. Stir in heavy cream and simmer 2-3 minutes until thickened. Add remaining chicken to heat through.
For rice: Sauté in 1 tablespoon butter until slightly toasted (1-2 minutes). Add broth, 1/4 tsp salt, and simmer 15 minutes until tender. Stir in parmesan until creamy.
Garnish chicken scampi with parsley before serving over rice.
Notes
Chicken thighs are a valid substitution (add 3-5 minutes to cook time).
Use ghee instead of butter for lactose-free option.
Adjust chili flakes to taste, or omit for mild version.
Fresh lemon zest enhances flavor in both sauce and rice.