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Cowboy Butter Chicken Linguine

Cowboy butter chicken linguine is a weeknight pasta dinner with seared chicken strips tossed in a bold, herb-spiced cowboy butter sauce. Linguine gets glossy with lemon juice and Dijon heat, finished with red pepper flakes, lemon zest, and fresh parsley for an aromatic bowl.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 820
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts Cut into strips.
  • Salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning to taste Seasoning for chicken.
olive oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil For searing chicken in skillet.
linguine
  • 12 oz linguine Cooked; reserve 1 cup pasta water.
cowboy butter sauce
  • 6 tbsp butter For the sauce.
  • 4 clove garlic Minced.
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley Chopped.
  • 1 tbsp fresh chives Chopped.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken strips with salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning to taste. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over high heat and cook chicken for 4-5 minutes until charred and cooked through, then remove to a plate.
Build the cowboy butter sauce
  1. Melt 6 tbsp butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant.
  2. Stir in Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, and cayenne, then cook for 30 seconds. Keep the sauce bubbling gently so the spices bloom and turn glossy.
  3. Add fresh lemon juice, chopped parsley, and chopped chives, then toss to combine. Add cooked linguine and toss with pasta water as needed until the sauce coats the noodles and looks silky.
Combine and serve
  1. Return the seared chicken strips to the pasta and toss lightly so the chicken is warmed through. Finish by arranging chicken strips over the top and serve immediately while the sauce still clings to the linguine.

Notes

Pro tip: reserve 1 cup pasta water and add it a splash at a time to get a glossy, emulsified sauce. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water. Freeze chicken-and-pasta only up to 2 months for best texture. For a lighter option, use olive oil in place of half the butter (keep at least 3 tbsp butter) to retain the sauce’s thickness.