Description
Cowboy Butter Chicken Pasta is a bold and buttery dish combining tender chicken breast with a creamy, garlicky butter sauce infused with Dijon mustard, red pepper flakes, paprika, and fresh herbs. Ready in just 30 minutes, this hearty pasta meal is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner that doesn’t skimp on flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 12 oz pasta (fettuccine or penne work great)
Chicken
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Butter Sauce
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp paprika
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan (optional, for extra richness)
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining the pasta to use later for loosening the sauce.
- Cook Chicken: Season diced chicken breast with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until golden brown and fully cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
- Make Butter Sauce: Reduce heat to medium. In the same skillet, melt the unsalted butter. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
- Add Flavorings: Stir in Dijon mustard, red pepper flakes, paprika, lemon juice, chopped parsley, and thyme. Let the sauce simmer gently for 1-2 minutes to combine flavors.
- Combine Chicken and Pasta: Return cooked chicken to the skillet, stirring it to coat in the buttery sauce. Add the cooked pasta and toss everything together to evenly distribute the sauce. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen the sauce if needed for desired consistency.
- Finish and Serve: Sprinkle grated Parmesan over the pasta if using, and mix briefly to melt it into the sauce. Serve the Cowboy Butter Chicken Pasta hot for a delicious and satisfying meal.
Notes
- Using fresh herbs like parsley and thyme enhances the flavor, but dried can be substituted if fresh is unavailable.
- Reserve pasta water is key to adjusting sauce consistency without diluting flavors.
- Parmesan cheese is optional but adds a nice richness and depth.
- Adjust red pepper flakes to your spice preference.
- Fettuccine or penne pasta both hold the sauce well, choose based on preference.
