Description
This Cowboy Butter Chicken Linguine recipe is a creamy, flavorful pasta dish featuring tender sautéed chicken bites combined with rich cowboy butter and a zesty touch of lemon. Prepared in just 25 minutes, it’s perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner that feels indulgent yet straightforward to make.
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, for garnish
- Parsley, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Cook Linguine: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
- Cook Chicken: While the pasta is cooking, heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken bites with paprika, garlic salt, kosher salt, and pepper. Add the chicken to the skillet and sauté until golden brown and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.
- Prepare Sauce: Reduce heat to medium-low. Add half of the cowboy butter to the skillet with the chicken, allowing it to melt. Pour in the heavy cream, then stir in the garlic salt and crushed red pepper flakes. Let the sauce simmer gently for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Combine Pasta and Chicken: Add the cooked linguine to the skillet with the sauce and chicken. Toss everything together to fully coat the pasta in the creamy cowboy butter sauce.
- Finish Dish: Stir in the remaining cowboy butter and the lemon juice for a fresh, tangy finish. Remove from heat. Garnish with lemon slices and chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
- Cook linguine just until al dente to avoid mushy pasta after mixing with sauce.
- Adjust crushed red pepper flakes to taste if you prefer more or less heat.
- Cowboy butter typically includes ingredients like butter, garlic, spices, and herbs; homemade or store-bought both work well.
- Use fresh lemon juice for the best bright flavor and garnish with fresh parsley to add color and freshness.
- For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream and reduce the butter slightly.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Cowboy Butter Chicken Linguine, creamy chicken pasta, easy chicken pasta recipe, stovetop pasta, weeknight dinner, creamy cowboy butter sauce
