Cowboy Butter Chicken Linguine: Bold & Creamy Recipe
This Cowboy Butter Chicken Linguine is a bold and creamy pasta dish featuring tender, seasoned chicken breast cooked to perfection and tossed in a rich, flavorful cowboy butter sauce with heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Garnished with fresh herbs, it’s a satisfying, hearty meal perfect for weeknight dinners or special occasions.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 oz (225g) linguine pasta
Chicken
- 1 pound (450g) boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup (56g) melted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (plus additional ½ teaspoon optional for more spice)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup (50g) grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Garnish
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil or parsley
Instructions
- Cook the Linguine: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the linguine according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water.
- Make the Cowboy Butter Sauce: In a bowl, whisk together the melted butter, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, lemon juice, chopped parsley, salt, and black pepper. Set the sauce aside for later use.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the sliced chicken breast with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 5-6 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and fully cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Make the Creamy Linguine Sauce: In the same skillet, add the prepared cowboy butter sauce and let it simmer gently for 1 minute to develop flavor. Pour in the heavy cream and stir to combine. Add the grated Parmesan cheese and stir continuously until the sauce becomes smooth and creamy.
- Combine & Serve: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and stir to coat it in the creamy sauce. Add the cooked linguine to the pan, tossing everything together until the pasta and chicken are evenly coated with the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, gradually add some of the reserved pasta water to loosen it to your desired consistency. Garnish with chopped fresh basil or parsley and serve immediately while warm and flavorful.
Notes
- Reserve some pasta water as it helps to adjust the sauce consistency perfectly and adds starch for better sauce adherence.
- You can adjust the heat level by increasing or omitting crushed red pepper flakes based on your spice preference.
- Use fresh grated Parmesan cheese for best flavor and creaminess.
- Ensure chicken is cooked through but remains juicy by not overcooking it in the skillet.
- Fresh herbs as garnish add a bright contrast to the rich sauce.
Keywords: cowboy butter chicken linguine, creamy chicken pasta, stovetop pasta recipe, bold chicken sauce, linguine with creamy sauce
