Cowboy Butter Chicken Linguine Recipe
A creamy, flavorful Cowboy Butter Chicken Linguine featuring tender pan-seared chicken breasts in a rich garlic butter sauce with smoked paprika and a hint of heat, tossed with perfectly cooked linguine and finished with Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 12 oz linguine
Chicken and Seasoning
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Garnish
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the linguine until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain the linguine and set aside.
- Season and Cook Chicken: Season the chicken breasts generously with salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 5-6 minutes per side until fully cooked and golden brown. Remove from skillet and slice into strips.
- Prepare Sauce Base: In the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium and melt the butter. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute, taking care not to burn the garlic. Stir in Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and chicken broth. Simmer for 2-3 minutes to reduce and blend flavors.
- Finish Sauce: Pour in the heavy cream and stir continuously until the sauce thickens slightly. Add the grated Parmesan cheese and continue stirring until the cheese fully melts and the sauce becomes smooth. If the sauce is too thick, adjust consistency by gradually adding the reserved pasta water.
- Toss Pasta and Chicken: Return the sliced chicken to the skillet along with the drained linguine. Toss everything together to evenly coat the pasta and chicken in the creamy sauce. Heat through for an additional minute to meld flavors.
- Serve: Transfer to serving plates and garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- Adjust red pepper flakes to control the spiciness level according to your preference.
- Reserve pasta water carefully to loosen the sauce if needed without over-thinning it.
- For a lighter option, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half but the sauce will be less rich.
- Use fresh Parmesan cheese for the best melting quality and flavor.
- Leftover dish can be refrigerated for up to 2 days; reheat gently adding a splash of cream or broth to restore sauce consistency.
Keywords: cowboy butter chicken linguine, creamy chicken pasta, smoked paprika chicken linguine, garlic butter chicken pasta, one pan chicken pasta, easy chicken pasta dinner
