Description
Cowboy Butter Chicken Linguine is a quick and flavorful pasta dish combining tender, seasoned chicken bites cooked in rich cowboy butter sauce with creamy heavy cream and a hint of spice. Tossed with perfectly cooked linguine and garnished with fresh lemon slices and chopped parsley, this recipe offers a delicious, comforting meal ready in just 25 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 ounces linguine
Chicken
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch bites
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Sauce
- ¼ cup (4 tablespoons / 57 g) cowboy butter, divided
- ¾ cup (178.5 g) heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
Garnish
- Lemon slices
- Chopped parsley
Instructions
- Cook pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add linguine and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Heat olive oil and season chicken. Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken bites evenly with paprika, garlic salt, kosher salt, and pepper.
- Cook chicken first side. Add the chicken in a single layer to the hot skillet. Cook for 3-4 minutes without stirring until the underside is golden brown.
- Add cowboy butter and flip chicken. Nestle 2 tablespoons of cowboy butter into the skillet. Flip the pieces of chicken to cook the other side, continuing for another 3-4 minutes until browned and cooked through (internal temperature 165°F).
- Remove chicken and keep warm. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
- Prepare sauce. Reduce heat to low. Add the remaining cowboy butter, heavy cream, 1 teaspoon garlic salt, and crushed red pepper flakes to the skillet. Use a spatula to scrape up browned bits from the pan, stirring until the butter melts and the sauce is smooth.
- Toss pasta and chicken in sauce. Add the drained linguine and cooked chicken back into the skillet with the sauce. Toss gently to coat everything evenly.
- Add lemon juice and combine. Stir in ½ teaspoon lemon juice to brighten the flavors.
- Serve and garnish. Plate the linguine and chicken, and garnish with fresh lemon slices and chopped parsley for a vibrant finish.
Notes
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure chicken is cooked through to 165°F.
- Cooking pasta al dente is important to prevent it from becoming mushy when mixed with sauce.
- Cowboy butter is a seasoned compound butter; if unavailable, substitute with a mix of garlic butter and herbs.
- Adjust red pepper flakes to taste for spiciness level.
- Garnish with extra parsley or parmesan cheese if desired.
