Description
Cowboy Butter Chicken Linguine is a flavorful and creamy pasta dish featuring tender, bite-sized chicken breasts cooked in a rich cowboy butter sauce with heavy cream, garlic, and a hint of spice. This quick and easy recipe combines perfectly cooked linguine with a luscious, buttery sauce and a touch of lemon for bright, fresh flavor, making for a hearty and satisfying meal in just 25 minutes.
Ingredients
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 the linguine and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Drain pasta and set aside.
- Heat olive oil and add chicken: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the extra virgin olive oil. When hot, place the chicken pieces in a single layer. Season them evenly with paprika, garlic salt, kosher salt, and pepper.
- Cook chicken on one side: Allow the chicken to cook for 3-4 minutes on one side until it becomes golden brown.
- Add cowboy butter and flip chicken: Nestle 2 tablespoons of cowboy butter into the skillet. Flip the chicken pieces and cook for another 3-4 minutes until they are browned and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Remove chicken and keep warm: Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and tent it to keep warm while preparing the sauce.
- Make sauce in the same pan: Reduce the heat to low. Add the remaining cowboy butter, heavy cream, garlic salt, and crushed red pepper flakes to the skillet. Use a spatula to scrape up the browned bits from the pan and stir until the butter melts and forms a creamy sauce.
- Add cooked pasta and chicken to sauce: Return the linguine and chicken to the skillet. Toss everything together well to coat the pasta and chicken in the creamy cowboy butter sauce.
- Add lemon juice and combine: Stir in the lemon juice to brighten the flavors.
- Garnish and serve: Serve the dish garnished with lemon slices and chopped parsley for a fresh finish.
Notes
- For best results, use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken is cooked to 165°F for safety and juiciness.
- If cowboy butter is unavailable, you can substitute with a blend of softened butter mixed with garlic, herbs, and spices.
- Adjust crushed red pepper flakes to taste for more or less heat.
- Linguine can be substituted with fettuccine or spaghetti if desired.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stove.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
