Description
Cowboy Butter Chicken Linguine is a vibrant and creamy pasta dish that combines tender strips of seasoned chicken with a flavorful cowboy butter sauce made from garlic, herbs, and a hint of spice. This recipe offers a delicious twist on classic pasta, perfect for a satisfying weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 12 ounces linguine pasta
Chicken
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into strips
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add linguine and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water, and set aside.
- Season the Chicken: While the pasta cooks, season the chicken strips with salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika, ensuring even coating for a balanced flavor.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
- Prepare the Cowboy Butter Sauce: Reduce the skillet heat to medium. Add the unsalted butter and let it melt completely. Stir in minced garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant and well combined.
- Add Herbs and Chicken: Add chopped fresh parsley, chives, and dried thyme to the sauce. Return the cooked chicken strips to the skillet, tossing to coat in the flavorful sauce.
- Toss Pasta in Sauce: Add the cooked linguine to the skillet with the chicken and sauce. Toss everything together, adding a splash of reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce, creating a creamy consistency.
- Finish with Parmesan: Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese thoroughly until the sauce becomes creamy and coats the pasta evenly.
- Serve: Serve the linguine warm, garnished with additional chopped herbs and extra Parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
- For a spicier dish, increase the crushed red pepper flakes or add a dash of your favorite hot sauce.
- This recipe adapts well to substitution with shrimp or steak instead of chicken for variety.
- Leftovers can be reheated gently in a skillet with a splash of broth or water to restore creaminess.
- To make it gluten-free, use gluten-free linguine pasta.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 580 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 115 mg
