Description
Cowboy Butter Chicken Pasta is a hearty, flavor-packed meal that comes together in about 30 minutes. It features a rich, savory cowboy butter sauce with garlic, lemon, and a medley of herbs and spices, coating juicy chicken and pasta.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken & Pasta:
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 12 oz pasta of your choice (penne, fusilli, or fettuccine work great)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For the Cowboy Butter Sauce:
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to your spice preference)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, reserving about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining
- Pat chicken cubes dry, toss with paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 5-7 minutes until golden brown and cooked through
- In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium and add butter. Once melted, add garlic and cook until fragrant
- Stir in the parsley, chives, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, and oregano, toasting the spices in the butter for about a minute
- Slowly add heavy cream and reserved pasta water, bringing the sauce to a gentle simmer and thickening for 2-3 minutes
- Stir in Parmesan cheese, return cooked chicken to skillet, and add drained pasta, tossing to coat everything in the sauce
- Serve immediately, garnished with extra fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese
Notes
Use starchy pasta water for a silky sauce.
Fresh ingredients enhance flavor.
Avoid overcrowding the pan when cooking chicken.
Control heat to prevent burning garlic.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 680 kcal
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 38g
- Saturated Fat: 21g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 115mg