Description
Tender chicken and linguine tossed in a rich, garlicky cowboy butter–cream sauce for a creamy, satisfying one-skillet pasta in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
8 oz linguine pasta
1½ lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1″ cubes
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
¼ cup cowboy butter*, divided
¾ cup heavy cream
1 tsp garlic salt, divided
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
½ tsp lemon juice
½ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Optional garnish: lemon slices and chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Cook linguine in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente; drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken cubes, season with ½ tsp garlic salt, smoked paprika, and black pepper, and cook 3–4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer chicken to a plate and tent with foil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Add remaining 1 tbsp butter and ¼ cup cowboy butter to the skillet, stirring until melted.
- Pour in heavy cream, remaining ½ tsp garlic salt, and red pepper flakes, scraping up any browned bits from the pan.
- Stir in lemon juice, then return chicken and drained linguine to the skillet. Toss until everything is evenly coated in the sauce.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Remove from heat, garnish with lemon slices and parsley, and serve immediately.
Notes
To make cowboy butter ahead: blend softened butter with garlic powder, chopped parsley, cayenne, lemon zest, and a splash of Worcestershire, then chill and slice as needed.
For a lighter sauce, swap half the cream for chicken broth or white wine.
Stir in sautéed mushrooms or spinach for extra veggies.
Use gluten-free pasta or zucchini noodles to accommodate dietary needs.
Add grated Parmesan to the sauce for extra richness.
Leftovers: store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat gently over low heat with a splash of cream or broth.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 of 4 servings
- Calories: 970 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 44 g
- Saturated Fat: 35 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 200 mg