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Cowboy Butter Chicken Linguine

Cowboy butter chicken linguine is an easy weeknight pasta dinner with linguine coated in a bold herb-spiced cowboy butter sauce. You’ll sear chicken strips until charred, then toss everything with red pepper flakes, lemon zest, and fresh parsley for a vivid, 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: 690
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
  • 1 salt to taste
  • 1 pepper to taste
  • 1 Cajun seasoning to taste
Olive oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Linguine and pasta water
  • 12 oz linguine cooked; reserve 1 cup pasta water
  • 1 cup pasta water reserved from cooking linguine
Cowboy butter sauce
  • 6 tbsp butter
  • 4 garlic cloves, 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 chicken strips with salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat and cook until charred and cooked through, 4-5 minutes; remove to a plate.
Build the cowboy butter sauce
  1. Melt butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, then keep the butter sizzling but not browning.
  2. Stir in Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, and cayenne. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until the spices look slightly toasted.
  3. Add fresh lemon juice, parsley, and chives. Toss the cooked linguine in the sauce, adding reserved pasta water a splash at a time until glossy and evenly coated.
Finish and serve
  1. Top the pasta with the seared chicken strips. Serve immediately while the sauce is hot and coats the noodles.

Notes

Pro tip: Reserve extra pasta water and add it gradually so the cowboy butter sauce turns silky and clings to the linguine. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water. Freezing is not recommended because the sauce can separate after thawing. For a lighter option, use half the butter and replace the rest with olive oil or a light butter spread.