Hen Scampi (Simple, Excessive-Protein Dinner Concept)

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This Hen Scampi recipe is a lightweight, flavorful weeknight pasta dinner that’s high-protein and comes collectively in beneath half-hour.

Hen Scampi

This simple Hen Scampi is my high-protein spin on traditional shrimp scampi—made with juicy hen breast, garlic, lemon, and a buttery white wine sauce tossed with entire wheat angel hair and spinach. I truly developed this whereas testing recipes for Skinnytaste Easy, however it didn’t make the reduce because it has greater than 7 components. Nonetheless, it was too good to not share right here!

Why You’ll Love This Hen Scampi Recipe

On weeknights after I don’t have the time or vitality to prepare dinner, I really like whipping up a fast pasta dish. I really like this one as a result of it’s child and husband accredited, and since I’m attempting to hit my protein objectives, it’s Gina accredited too!

Fast: Prepared in beneath half-hour
Excessive Protein: 47g protein per serving and lighter than conventional scampi recipes
Child-Pleasant: Simple dinner the household will love!

Not within the temper for pasta? Extra hen breast recipes with no pasta you may additionally take pleasure in, do that Hen Piccata or my well-liked Hen Parmesan Recipe.

Substances You’ll Want

Right here’s what you’ll have to make this recipe, see recipe card for actual measurements.

Hen: Boneless, skinless hen breasts, reduce into small cubes for fast cooking.
Garlic: Thinly sliced for traditional scampi taste.
Butter: Simply sufficient to provide the sauce richness.
Dry white wine or broth: For deglazing the pan and constructing taste. Broth can be utilized should you don’t drink wine.
Crushed purple pepper flakes: Non-compulsory, however a pinch provides heat.
Lemon juice: Brightens up the sauce.
Spinach: Stirred in on the finish for shade and added vitamins.
Entire wheat angel hair pasta: I really like utilizing Delallo for its texture and style. You need to use plain or gluten-free pasta if you want!

Learn how to Make Hen Scampi

Right here’s the step-by-step instructions for making this simple hen dinner. See recipe card for printable instructions.

Boil the pasta: Deliver a big pot of salted water to a boil.
Cook dinner the hen: Minimize into ½-inch cubes and season. Brown in batches over excessive warmth for a fast sear, then put aside.
Construct the sauce: In the identical pan, sauté the garlic in butter, then deglaze with wine or broth, scraping up the bits. Add purple pepper and salt. Simmer to cut back.
Add ending touches: Stir in tomatoes briefly, then the remainder of the butter and lemon juice. Take away from warmth.
Toss all the pieces collectively: Cook dinner the pasta al dente, reserve some water, then toss the pasta with hen, spinach, and sauce. Add pasta water as wanted to coat. End with parsley and Parmesan.

Variations

Swap the protein: Use shrimp as a substitute of hen for a extra conventional scampi. It cooks even quicker!
Make it gluten-free: Use your favourite gluten-free spaghetti or angel hair pasta.
Add extra veggies: Toss in sautéed zucchini, mushrooms, or cherry tomatoes for additional taste and fiber.
Use broth as a substitute of wine: Should you want to skip the alcohol, hen broth works effectively instead of dry white wine.
Make it spicy: Add extra purple pepper flakes or a splash of sizzling sauce for warmth.

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook dinner: 20 minutes

Complete: 30 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Serving Dimension: 1 /2 cups

Cook dinner Mode

Deliver a big pot of salted water to a boil.
Minimize hen breasts into small ½ inch cubes. Season the hen on either side with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper to style.
Warmth a really giant skillet over excessive warmth. When the pan is sizzling, spray the skillet with oil and add half the hen and prepare dinner till browned on all sides and now not pink inside, 2 minutes. Switch to a plate and repeat with remaining hen. Put aside and cut back warmth.
Add ½ tablespoon of the butter to the skillet and soften, add the garlic and saute till aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the white wine or broth, crushed purple pepper flakes and remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt. Cook dinner, scraping the underside of the pan, till decreased by half, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and allow them to prepare dinner 1 minute, to melt.
Add the remaining 1 ½ tablespoons butter and soften, add the lemon juice, take away from the warmth.
Add the pasta to the boiling water and prepare dinner based on bundle instructions for al dente, reserve ½ cup water. Drain the pasta and toss with the hen, add the spinach and prepare dinner 1 minute tossing with the sauce including among the reserved pasta water if wanted. End with contemporary parsley and serve with loads of grated Parmesan cheese.

Final Step:

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Serving: 1 /2 cups, Energy: 482.5 kcal, Carbohydrates: 42.5 g, Protein: 47 g, Fats: 12 g, Saturated Fats: 4.5 g, Ldl cholesterol: 139.4 mg, Sodium: 373.5 mg, Fiber: 7.5 g, Sugar: 1.5 g

Recipe Ideas

Don’t overcrowd the pan when browning the hen—prepare dinner in batches for the very best sear.
Wine vs broth: Wine provides depth, however broth works simply as effectively should you want it alcohol-free.
Use tongs to toss the pasta with the sauce—it helps coat each strand.

Extra Weeknight Pasta Dinners

For extra dinner concepts utilizing pasta, try these 5 scrumptious pasta recipes to encourage your subsequent meal!

Should you make this excessive protein hen scampi recipe, I might like to see it. Tag me in your pictures or movies on Instagram, TikTok, or Fb. And you’ll want to be part of the Skinnytaste Neighborhood to see what everybody’s cooking!