Cowboy Butter Chicken Linguine
A quick and flavorful dish featuring tender chicken, creamy sauce, and linguine, perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 12 ounces linguine pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) Adjust according to your heat preference.
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ½ cup chicken broth or reserved pasta water
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- to taste Salt and black pepper
Instructions
Preparation
- Boil the linguine according to the package directions in salted water, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water before draining.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, season the chicken with salt and pepper, and cook for 5-7 minutes until browned and fully cooked. Remove the chicken and set aside.
Cooking the Sauce
- In the same skillet, melt the butter and add the minced garlic, paprika, and optional red pepper flakes. Sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, lemon zest, and chicken broth (or reserved pasta water) and simmer gently, scraping any browned bits from the pan.
- Pour in the heavy cream and half of the chopped parsley, stirring gently and cooking for about 2 minutes until lightly thickened.
Combine and Serve
- Return the cooked chicken to the pan and add the cooked linguine and parmesan cheese. Toss to coat evenly, adjusting the sauce's consistency with reserved pasta water if needed.
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed, garnish with remaining parsley and extra parmesan cheese, and serve immediately.
Notes
Perfectly cook chicken on medium-high heat to avoid burning. Use reserved pasta water to achieve the desired sauce consistency.
