Did you know that scampi is an actual thing? I didn’t! I was doing a little
research before I wrote this recipe post and learned that scampi isn’t
merely a way of cooking garlicy shrimp but it’s actually the original
crustacean used in the popular dish (hence the name)!
WHO KNEW?!
Scampi, which is actually the Italian plural of scampo, are very small
lobsters also called Dublin Bay Prawns or Norway Lobster found in the
Mediterranean and northeastern Atlantic from North Africa to Norway and
Iceland.
Scampi were most often prepared in Italy by sautéing them with olive oil,
garlic and white wine. Italian immigrants in America substituted shrimp in
place of the scampi but kept the “scampi” name and cooking method which
morphed over the years into the common menu item we’re familiar with: shrimp
scampi.
Fascinating stuff, folks. Fascinating!
American cooks and restaurants have used the scampi method of cooking
(again, we took this from an ingredient to a cooking style)
for shrimp, lobster, crawfish and even chicken. The Olive Garden
restaurant’s Chicken Scampi is one of their most popular menu items.
Which is actually what lead me to making this dish. I usually make this (or
something almost exactly like it, though I’d never written down an actual
recipe) with shrimp. Since not everyone loves shrimp, I decided to use chicken
in this recipe so that more of you could enjoy it.
You can absolutely use this recipe to make this with shrimp too, by the
way. Cook everything exactly the same way but maybe use a shrimp stock instead
of chicken broth if you have it. You can simmer your shrimp shells and tails
in the chicken broth for a bit to totally max out the flavor too.
It’s weird but my entire family agrees that the rice in this dish tastes a lot
like, and has the same texture of the rice at our favorite Japanese
restaurant. The only thing I can figure is that our hibachi hotspot uses sake
in their rice so the white wine in my recipe must accomplish the same with the
rice.
This is extra good news to me because my baby boy (who turned THIRTEEN
this weekend – God help us, we have three teenagers now!) has become so
incredibly picky but he loves rice and he especially loves the rice at
our favorite Japanese restaurant so he’s 100% on board with this dish simply
because of the rice!
If the rice doesn’t convince you to use the wine in this recipe, just trust me
when I tell you it makes the overall dish.
Any time I use wine in a recipe I get dozens of comments and emails from folks
asking what to substitute for it (no matter how much I try to convince you
otherwise) and also questions about what kind of wine to use so I made some
notes below.
WHAT CAN I SUBSTITUTE FOR WHITE WINE IN THIS RECIPE?
I really, really don’t think you should substitute anything but a good
substitute for this (and most) recipes for white wine is 1 part lemon juice
to 7 parts chicken broth.
To save yourself from measuring that out, add lemon juice to a measuring
pitcher or measuring cup (pitchers are more accurate for liquid measuring)
then add chicken broth to the desired level per the following:
1 cup = 2 TBSP lemon juice + broth
1/2 cup = 1 TBSP lemon juice + broth
1/4 cup = 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice + broth
WHAT TYPE OF WHITE WINE IS BEST FOR COOKING?
Always use a dry white wine, such as chardonnay, pinot grigio and sauvignon
blanc for recipes and cooking. Don’t use sweet wines such as mostcato or
white zinfandel.
Don’t use a “cooking wine”. The saying that you shouldn’t cook with wine
that’s not good enough to drink is great advice, but you don’t need to break
the bank either. I usually spend about 10 bucks a bottle for the wine I keep
around.
If you don’t drink wine, consider buying a 4-pack of mini bottles. Use one
for your recipe then save the remaining bottles for future recipes or give
them away to friends.
NOTES ABOUT CHICKEN SCAMPI WITH GARLIC PARMESAN RICE:
Definitely use FRESH minced garlic in this recipe. The stuff in the jar
just isn’t the same.
Feel free to use shrimp instead of chicken!
Since folks often ask, I don’t use any particular brand or variety of
wine. I most often use chardonnay because that’s what I tend to have but
pinot grigio and sauvignon blanc are great too.
Don’t use a “cooking wine” in this recipe.
I really don’t think you should substitute anything for the white
wine but if you must, combine 1 tablespoon lemon juice with additional
chicken broth to measure 1/2 cup.
SPICY SAUSAGE & KALE RIGATONI
- A rustic, 30-minute pasta recipe of Italian sausage and kale with a simple
but unbelievably delicious sauce made with pasta water, butter and parmesan
cheese.
FAMILY-STYLE CHICKEN PARMESAN
- A tried-and-true recipe for crispy breaded chicken cutlets topped with gooey
melted mozzarella served family-style for easier prep.
CLASSIC CHICKEN CACCIATORE
- A simple, rustic recipe for chicken slowly braised in an easy Italian-style tomato sauce with onions and peppers served over pasta.
Recipe for Chicken Scampi with Garlic Parmesan Rice
Chicken Scampi with Garlic Parmesan Rice
Yield: 4 Servings
Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 35 MinTotal time: 45 Min
A quick and easy skillet recipe for tender chicken scampi over perfectly cooked buttery, garlic parmesan rice.
Ingredients
1 lb. chicken tenderloins
Salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 stick butter, divided
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups uncooked white rice
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
Season chicken tenders with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet. Sauté chicken tenders until nicely browned and just cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet, cover chicken then set aside.
Add butter, garlic, pepper flakes and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the skillet then sauté garlic for 3 minutes (do not let the garlic burn or become too brown).
Increase skillet temperature to medium-high then add white wine. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon to emulsify the wine into the butter. Cook and stir for approximately 5 minutes or until mixture is reduced by half. Remove and set aside 2 tablespoons of pan sauce to use later.
Add rice to skillet then stir and cook for 3-4 minutes or until rice starts to brown just a little. Add chicken broth and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt.
Bring mixture to a low boil then reduce heat to medium-low, cover pan then cook for 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir once or twice the first 15 minutes of cooking but not more than that.
Sprinkle parmesan over rice then arrange chicken tenders in skillet over rice. Drizzle reserved 2 tablespoons of pan sauce over chicken tenders. Cover, remove from heat then let stand for 5 minutes. Garnish dish with more parmesan and chopped fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
Definitely use FRESH minced garlic in this recipe. The stuff in the jar just isn’t the same.
I really don’t think you should substitute anything for the white wine but if you must, combine 1 tablespoon lemon juice with additional chicken broth to measure 1/2 cup.
Feel free to use shrimp instead of chicken!
Since folks often ask, I don’t use any particular brand or variety of wine. I most often use chardonnay because that’s what I tend to have but pinot grigio and sauvignon blanc are great too.
Don’t use a “cooking wine” (the saying that you shouldn’t cook with wine that’s not good enough to drink is great advice) but you don’t need to break the bank either. I usually spend about 10 bucks a bottle for the wine I keep around. If you don’t drink wine, consider buying a 4-pack of mini bottles (save the remaining bottles for future recipes or give them away to friends).
A virtual recipe swap with dozens of new recipes from some of the TOP recipe creators online and on Pinterest!
The kids are home for summer so I've been scouring my favorite recipe sites for easy meals they can make for supper (to take a load off of me and give them something fun to do) and last week's potluck had three recipes I've already added to the lineup!
Those plus the pie recipe that reminded me of my grandma so much it almost made me tear up are:
French Onion Joes
Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Pie
Crock Pot Chicken Alfredo Lasagna
Instant Pot Easy Hamburger Soup
Full photos and links to recipes just below!
From an old-fashioned cookbook classic to the miracle of the electric pressure cooker, these recipes have you covered for easy suppers and a time-tested dessert everyone will love!
Check out these amazing recipes featured from last week's Weekend Potluck, then scroll down to see all the recipes new this week!
A virtual recipe swap with dozens of new recipes from some of the TOP recipe creators online and on Pinterest!
I think last week's featured recipes are my favorite EVER! I mean, just look at these beauties and tell me you don't want to try them!
Grilled Pineapple Pork Chops - Pineapple and ham go together like Bert and Ernie so whyohwhy have I never thought to pair pineapple with smokey grilled pork chops?? #doinit
Creamy Crock Pot Round Steak - OK, so many of the crock pot recipes I see online leave me thinking ummmm... it's a no for me but this one truly looks different and delicious and I seriously can't wait to try it!
Sandwich Spread - Ever since I first published my recipe for Ham Salad Spread folks have been telling me about making a sandwich spread like this one and part of me thought they were joshing me because I have literally never seen anything like this but it has a cult-like following of fans so I'm going to have to try it!!
Oh Henry Bars - Literally my favorite candy bar as a kid! Oh Henry Bars and Zero Bars (I was never a child who went with the herd so I was always interested in what was on the shelf below the Skittles and M&Ms). I've already added the ingredients to my grocery list!!
From the grill to the crock pot and from lunch to dessert, this week's featured recipes have something for everyone!
Check out these amazing recipes featured from last week's Weekend Potluck, then scroll down to see all the recipes new this week!
An easy recipe for Esquites - or Mexican Street Corn - served off the cob as a side dish or warm salad with Mexican crumbling cheese, a creamy spread, fresh cilantro and chili powder.
I don’t have some amazing story about how I first came to try Mexican Street
Corn. I wasn’t hiking through Guadalajara, I wasn’t at some resort in Cabo…
I... errrrm… well, I fell in love with elotes at Chili’s. Ha!
And considering it’s almost always overcooked and most assuredly started out
as frozen corn, the fact that I love it anyway made me want to cook it myself!
WHAT IS MEXICAN STREET CORN?
Traditional Mexican Street Corn can be served on the cob as
Elotes or cut offthe cob as Esquites. Both dishes
have the basic same ingredients: grilled fresh corn, mayo, chopped cilantro,
cotija cheese, chili powder and lime juice.
There are a gozillion variations of it too.
Instead of mayo, crema can be used. Instead of chili powder, cayenne pepper
can be used. Instead of cotija (which is sort of a Mexican parmesan), feta or
queso fresco can be used.
I usully make Esquites, which takes all the best ingredients of Elotes and
makes it into a side dish. Most folks refer to this preparation as Mexican
Street Corn Salad (even though it’s served warm).
Unless we have the grill cranked up anyway, I usually don’t bother grilling
the corn. To get the same roasted flavor you get from grilling the corn, what
I do instead is to cut the corn kernels off the cob then roast the corn under
the broiler.
By cooking my corn under the broiler, I still get a little bit of char and
tons of flavor like you get from the grill.
The best thing about broiling it, though, is that I can prep everything else,
quickly cook the corn then assemble everything in minutes which is super easy
when we’re entertaining.
Though most recipes call for cotija, both queso fresco and cotija are widely
used for Mexican Street Corn and I definitely prefer queso fresco.
Cotija is a firmer cheese whereas queso fresco is a little softer. Both are
crumbling cheeses so just use whichever you can find.
You can use a fork to crumble the cheese or grate it with a box grater. I use
the fine side of my box grater which yields very fine bits of the cheese with
plenty of crumbled chunks breaking off too which I think yields the best of
both worlds.
You definitely want to assemble this dish when the corn is hot so that it
softens up the cheese. The cheese doesn’t melt, exactly, but it does become
creamy.
This heats up easily in the microwave if you prefer to eat it hot but it’s
also perfectly delicious at room temperature.
If you want to serve this on the cob (Elotes), simply combine the mayo, lime
juice, salt and garlic powder to make a spread. When ready to serve, slather
each cob with the mayo spread then sprinkle the cob with the grated cheese,
cilantro and chili powder.
I haven’t done it yet but I’m dying have a Mexican themed party with carnitas
and maybe grilled shrimp and chicken seasoned in Mexican spices then set up a
Mexican Street Corn bar!
Skewer corn cobs with wooden skewers (corndog style) then grill. Each person
can take their hot grilled corn to the “bar” which will have the spread (2
paragraphs up), chopped cilantro, crumbled queso fresco or cotija and a shaker
of chili powder. How FUN would that be?!
Recipe for Mexican Street Corn
WHAT TO SERVE WITH MEXICAN STREET CORN
Mexican Restaurant-Style Rice -A simple recipe with just a few ingredients just
like the rice at our favorite Mexican restaurant and a perfect side dish to serve at home with your favorite Mexican recipes!
Crock Pot Carnitas - Delicious tender, crispy pork roast or boston butt slow cooked then chopped perfect for tacos, burritos, quesadillas or just eating on its own!
Borracho Beans - Mexican Borracho Beans cooked low and slow with pintos, pork, spices and beer. The PERFECT side dish for your next Mexican feast!
Taco Rice with Queso - A one-pan skillet meal with ground beef and Mexican style rice drenched in an easy queso sauce.
Mexican Street Corn
Yield: 8-10 Servings
Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 5 MinTotal time: 20 Min
An easy recipe for Esquites - or Mexican Street Corn - served off the cob as a side dish or warm salad with Mexican crumbling cheese, a creamy spread, fresh cilantro and chili powder.
Ingredients
6 cups fresh corn (from 6-7 cobs)
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup grated or crumbled queso fresco (see notes)
Juice from one lime
1 cup diced green onions
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon chili powder (or to taste)
Additional queso fresco, cilantro and chili powder
Instructions
Cut kernels off corn cobs then add to a large mixing bowl. Add butter then toss to coat. Spread corn in a single layer onto a very large sheet pan (or two 13x9 pans). Move oven rack to highest position then heat broiler on high with oven door ajar. Broil corn under high heat with oven door ajar for about 5 minutes or until a few of the kernels begin to char.
Remove corn from oven then add back to the mixing bowl. Add mayo, cheese, lime juice, onions, cilantro, salt, garlic powder and chili powder then mix to combine. Taste for seasoning then add more salt and spices if desired.
Spoon mixture into a serving bowl then top with additional queso fresco, cilantro and chili powder. Serve warm.
Notes
You can totally grill the corn on the cob to achieve the classic char of street corn instead of broiling it. You can also sauté the corn in a piping hot skillet.
Canned or thawed frozen corn can be used if needed. Drain very well before cooking.
You can also use cotija cheese in this if you would like but I enjoy the smoother texture of the queso fresco. I grate mine with the fine side of my box grater.
To reheat, cover then heat on high in the microwave until hot. Add more mayo once reheated if desired.
A virtual recipe swap with dozens of new recipes from some of the TOP recipe creators online and on Pinterest!
Gear up for summer with this list of featured recipes from last week's potluck! Our favorites were:
Fruity Summer Sangria
Hamburger Tater Tot Casserole
Cheesy Ranch Potato Foil Packs
No-Bake Strawberry Jello Pie
From a fun and fruity cocktail to an easy no-fuss meal to a side dish perfect for the grill to a cool and creamy pie, these recipes have you covered for hot, busy summer days!
Check out these amazing recipes featured from last week's Weekend Potluck, then scroll down to see all the recipes new this week!
One of my very good friends had major surgery last Tuesday – I’ll call her M
in this story. She’s got some scary stuff going on right now and I’m so
worried about her but if anyone can win a fight through sheer will and prayer,
it’s her.
She is literally one of THE BEST people on this earth. Ask anyone who knows
her and they will tell you the same. She and her husband are the most
generous, humble, loving, gracious people I’ve ever known.
Husband and I have literally asked ourselves over the years why M and her
husband love us so much and still remain such close friends with us because
we’re so flawed and rowdy and generally messy in comparison. But they
do! They love and like us anyway! God love ‘em!
Word got out that M was going to have this surgery so a few of us decided to
throw some stuff together that might help her and her family while she
recovers and battles this. Once folks figured out we were a way to get
things to M, it was like a dam broke.
The outpouring of love and support was staggering to behold but it’s just a
testament to what an amazing woman she is and how loved her family is.
I’m telling you all this to A) tell you how it is I came to make this
Shepherd’s Pie and mostly because B) I’d like to ask to you pray for M. If
you’re not the praying sort, just some good positive thoughts or healing
juju sent her way would be appreciated too!
So, I wanted to make something for M and her family that they could just pop
in the fridge then heat up sometime over the next few days to have for lunch
(because that Meal Train is booked SOLID y’all) so I decided on a Shepherd’s
Pie.
I got tickled when I dropped it off because their youngest is a total foodie
and he was getting himself a taste before I even got out the kitchen good!
I can’t wait to find out if my recipe passed his taste test!
HOW TO MAKE TRADITIONAL SHEPHERD’S PIE
An authentic, traditional Shepherd’s Pie is a casserole made with ground
lamb. A dish made like this with ground beef, is actually called
Cottage Pie. I use a combination of the two and because I do include
the customary lamb, I still call mine Shepherd’s Pie.
The filling is most often made with ground lamb (or a combo of lamb and
beef), carrots, onions and peas. Some recipes add other vegetables like
parsnips or celery. I add celery to mine because I don’t like peas –
don’t hate me! – but still want a little something green in there.
The meat and veg are made into a brown gravy/sauce then spooned into the
bottom of a baking dish. The dish is then covered with a layer of mashed
potatoes then baked until bubbly. Some folks (including me) add a little
cheddar cheese to the top though it may be argued that traditional
Shepherd’s Pie has no cheese.
For an alternative, you can also serve this as the Scottish dish called
Mince & Tatties (mince is the common word for ground meat in the
UK and tatties refers to the potatoes).
You might want to try it because that’s just a FUN name but also because it
cuts a step out of the process. To serve, spoon mashed potatoes on a plate
then top with the meaty gravy (omitting the cheese and baking step).
I think Mince & Tatties doesn’t usually have peas and you can use
whichever ground meat you prefer so my version of Shepherd’s Pie is perfect
for it!
I don’t go into how to make mashed potatoes below because I think most of you
have that down (or a quick recipe search will help you get there) but if
you’re not sure how much to make for this recipe, I’d suggest using about 2
pounds of potatoes.
Don’t judge me, but… I most often use the prepared mashed potatoes in the
refrigerated section of the grocery store! I know! I know! That sounds
crazy, right? But they are cheap and they are good! And most importantly, I
rarely cook potatoes so the unused potatoes always go bad before I can use
them.
I don’t recommend using instant potatoes in this recipe. I’m no mashed potato
expert but I can definitely tell the difference in mashed potatoes made from
fresh potatoes and instant and I’m no fan of the instant mashed potatoes.
HOW TO FREEZE AND REHEAT SHEPHERD’S PIE
You can easily cut this recipe in half if you’d like to make a smaller
portion or you could prepare two small dishes then freeze one.
To freeze/reheat Shepherd’s Pie, cook the dish per the recipe then cool to
room temperature. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil then freeze for
up to two months.
When you’re ready to prepare the frozen Shepherd’s Pie, leave the aluminum
foil on the dish then heat at 375 degrees for 1 hour and 30-45 minutes if
frozen; or 1 hour if thawed (thaw in refrigerator).
Recipe for The BEST Shepherd's Pie
The BEST Shepherd's Pie
Yield: 12 Servings
Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth
Prep time: 30 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 50 Min
A simple but perfect recipe for Shepherd's Pie with a layer of rich meaty gravy on the bottom topped with mashed potatoes and a little cheese.
Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground lamb
1/3 cup butter
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1 large onion, diced
1/3 cup plain flour
4 cups beef broth
3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Pinch of nutmeg
4-5 cups prepared mashed potatoes
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
Cook and crumble ground meat over high heat in a large skillet until meat is cooked though, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste while cooking. Drain meat in a colander then set aside.
To the now empty skillet, add butter carrots, celery and onion then sauté vegetables over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes or until carrots are tender, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste while cooking.
Add flour, stir well, then continue cooking for 4-5 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium then add beef broth, worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, garlic powder and nutmeg then heat and stir until simmering. Once simmering, cook for 5-6 minutes or until thick and bubbly.
Stir in cooked beef and lamb.
Pour mixture into a 3-quart 13x9 baking dish. Spoon mashed potatoes over meat gravy then spread smooth. Top with cheese then bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until cheese is melted. See notes below if not cooking immediately.
Notes
If cooking from room temperature, bake at 375 degrees for 30-45 minutes or until heated through. If cheese starts to brown too much, cover loosely with foil.
If cooking from refrigerated temperature, cover with foil then bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour or until cheese is melted and meat mixture is bubbly.
If cooking from frozen, cover with foil then bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour and 30-45 minutes or until cheese is melted and meat mixture is bubbly.
Feel free to use all ground beef or all ground lamb in this recipe instead of a combination of the two if you prefer. Using all ground beef technically makes it a “Cottage Pie” but I think most folks still call it “Shepherd’s Pie” and nobody’s ever burst into flames for doing so.
I HATE English peas so I don’t put them in my Shepherd’s Pie (or anything else) but feel free to add a cup of fresh or frozen peas to the meat mixture after it has thickened. Shepherd’s Pie traditionally has peas and may not always have celery – I add the celery for a little something green and because it gives the dish a fresh taste.
I didn’t always cook the meat separate from the veg but I’ve started doing so since meat packagers are pumping so much water/brine into meat to add weight these days. The pan fills with water which makes the ingredients boil instead of sear and sauté, and the added liquid can really screw up a good gravy or sauce. If you have a great butcher or source for ground meat, and know your ground meat isn’t bogged down with added water, feel free to cook the meat and veg together and omit the draining step.
For an alternative, serve this as a Scottish dish called Mince & Tatties (because that’s just a FUN name and it cuts a step out of the process). To serve, spoon mashed potatoes on a plate then top with the meat gravy (omitting the cheese and baking step).
If you plan on fussing at me about Shepherd's Pie vs. Cottage Pie, please read the notes above and the section HOW TO MAKE TRADITIONAL SHEPHERD’S PIE in the post and spare us both the frustration.
