Cowboy Butter Chicken (Creamy, Garlicky & Ready in 30 Mins!)
Creamy, garlicky, and full of buttery lemon-herb flavor this Cowboy Butter Chicken is the weeknight dinner that feels like a treat but comes together in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and black pepper
- Olive oil
- Butter
- Fresh garlic minced
- Dijon mustard
- Paprika
- Red pepper flakes optional
- Lemon juice and zest
- Chicken broth or reserved pasta water
- Heavy cream
- Fresh parsley
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Optional: spinach mushrooms, chili flakes
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook linguine according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup pasta water and set pasta aside.
- Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
- In the same skillet, melt butter. Stir in garlic, paprika, and red pepper flakes if using. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add Dijon mustard, lemon juice, zest, and broth or pasta water. Scrape up any browned bits and let simmer briefly.
- Pour in cream and half the parsley. Stir and cook until slightly thickened.
- Add cooked chicken and pasta to skillet. Toss with parmesan and more pasta water if needed to loosen sauce.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve hot, topped with parsley and extra parmesan.
Notes
Use thighs instead of breasts if preferred. Make it dairy-free with plant-based swaps. Toss in spinach or mushrooms to boost the veggies!