🔥 A creamy, zesty, garlicky chicken pasta dish infused with cowboy butter — made with herbs, garlic, lemon, and a spicy kick — served over perfectly cooked linguine.
📝 Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 2 large chicken breasts (or thighs), sliced into strips
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp chili flakes (adjust to taste)
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For the Cowboy Butter Sauce:
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- Juice of 1 lemon (plus 1 tsp zest, optional)
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional for extra heat)
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp chopped fresh chives (or green onions)
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
For the Pasta:
- 12 oz (340g) linguine
- Salt, for pasta water
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional but highly recommended)
- ¼ cup pasta water (reserved from boiling pasta)
🍳 Instructions
1. Cook the Linguine
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook the linguine according to package instructions until al dente.
- Reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water, then drain and set aside.
2. Cook the Chicken
- Season sliced chicken with paprika, garlic powder, chili flakes, salt, and pepper.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the chicken and cook until golden brown and cooked through (about 5–7 minutes). Remove from skillet and set aside.
3. Make the Cowboy Butter Sauce
- In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium. Add the butter and let it melt.
- Stir in minced garlic and sauté for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add Dijon mustard, lemon juice and zest, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly to combine.
- Stir in chopped parsley and chives.
4. Combine Everything
- Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and toss to coat in the cowboy butter sauce.
- Add the cooked linguine and reserved pasta water. Toss everything together until the pasta is well-coated in the sauce.
- Optional: Add Parmesan cheese and stir until melted into the sauce.
🥄 To Serve:
- Serve hot, topped with extra parsley, Parmesan, and a sprinkle of chili flakes if desired.
- A wedge of lemon on the side adds a nice finishing touch!