Cowboy Butter Lemon Chicken (Print version)

Juicy chicken and bowtie pasta coated in a rich, garlicky cowboy butter lemon sauce with herbs and Parmesan.

# What goes in:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced

→ Pasta

02 - 10 oz bowtie (farfalle) pasta

→ Cowboy Butter Sauce

03 - 7 tbsp unsalted butter
04 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
06 - 1 tsp hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
07 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
09 - 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
10 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
11 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
12 - Zest and juice of 1 lemon
13 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Additional

14 - 2 tbsp olive oil
15 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

# Cooking steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the bowtie pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain through a colander and set aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced chicken, season generously with salt and black pepper, and cook for 7 to 8 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
03 - Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and the butter to the same skillet. Once the butter has melted, stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Stir in the Dijon mustard, hot sauce, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, chopped parsley, chives, and thyme leaves. Mix until all the ingredients are well combined and fragrant.
05 - Add the lemon zest and fresh lemon juice to the skillet, stirring thoroughly to blend with the seasoned butter. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
06 - Return the seared chicken to the skillet, then add the drained bowtie pasta. Toss everything together until the chicken and pasta are evenly coated in the cowboy butter lemon sauce.
07 - Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese over the top and toss once more. Serve immediately, garnished with extra fresh parsley if desired.

# Tips from flavorandfeast:

01 -
  • The cowboy butter sauce is the kind of thing you will want to put on everything from crusty bread to grilled vegetables once you taste it.
  • It comes together in the time it takes to boil pasta, which means even your busiest weeknights can have a dinner that feels like you tried way harder than you did.
  • That hit of lemon cuts through the richness of the butter and cheese so perfectly that even people who claim they do not like creamy pasta become instant converts.
02 -
  • Do not walk away from the garlic in the butter, it goes from golden and fragrant to bitter and ruined in about thirty seconds flat.
  • Reserve a half cup of pasta water before you drain, because if your sauce tightens up too much a splash of that starchy liquid will bring it back to life instantly.
  • The sauce will thicken as it sits off the heat, so serve immediately for the best texture and loosen with pasta water if reheating leftovers.
03 -
  • Pat the chicken pieces completely dry with paper towels before searing, because moisture is the enemy of that gorgeous golden crust you want.
  • Let the butter brown just slightly before adding the garlic for an extra layer of nutty depth that takes this from good to unforgettable.

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