Chicken Scampi with Garlic White Wine Sauce
Golden, lightly breaded chicken tenderloins pan-fried until crispy, then served in a silky garlic butter white wine sauce with sweet roasted red bell pepper and fresh parsley. Ready in just 35 minutes using one skillet, this elegant weeknight dinner tastes like it came from a restaurant.
- Total Time35 minutes
- Yield4 servings 1x
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Breaded Chicken
- 2 large eggs
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 0.75 cup all-purpose flour (plus 1 tablespoon for the sauce)
- 2 lbs chicken tenderloins (trimmed)
- 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (divided)
Sauce
- 1 red bell pepper (stemmed, seeded, sliced thin)
- 8 cloves garlic (sliced thin)
- 1.25 cups chicken broth
- 0.75 cup dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio recommended)
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter (cut into 4 pieces)
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
Instructions
- Bread the Chicken: Beat eggs with ½ tsp salt in a shallow dish. Place ¾ cup flour in a second dish. Pat chicken dry, season with salt and pepper. Dip each piece in egg (let excess drip off), then dredge in flour, shaking off excess. Place on a large plate.
- Pan-Fry First Batch: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook half the chicken about 3 minutes per side until golden brown and 160°F internally. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil. Wipe skillet, repeat with 2 tbsp oil and remaining chicken.
- Cook the Vegetables: Wipe skillet clean. Heat remaining 2 tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Add sliced bell pepper with ½ tsp salt and cook 5-7 minutes until softened and browned. Add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in remaining 1 tbsp flour and cook 1 minute.
- Build the Sauce: Stir in chicken broth and white wine, scraping up browned bits. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced to about 1½ cups, 5-7 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in butter until melted and sauce is silky.
- Finish and Serve: Return chicken to skillet and turn to coat with sauce. Cook about 2 minutes until heated through. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with fresh parsley.
Notes
Always cook the chicken in two batches to ensure proper browning. Use a drinkable dry white wine — cooking wines contain added sodium and off-flavors. Stir butter in on low heat to create a smooth, emulsified sauce rather than a greasy one. Slice garlic thin rather than mincing to prevent burning at high heat.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Main Course
- Cuisine: American, Italian-American
Nutrition
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 580
- Fat: 28
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 22
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 42
- Cholesterol: 195
