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Cowboy Butter Chicken Linguine

Cowboy butter chicken linguine with seared chicken strips and a glossy herb-spiced butter sauce that clings to every strand. The sauce gets its heat from red pepper flakes and cayenne, with bright lemon zest notes and fresh parsley for a vivid finish.
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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: 780
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

chicken breasts
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • cajun seasoning to taste
pasta
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 12 oz linguine cooked; reserve 1 cup pasta water
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 the chicken strips with salt, black pepper, and Cajun seasoning. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat and cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes until charred and cooked through, then remove.
Make the cowboy butter sauce
  1. Melt butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  2. Stir in Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, and cayenne. Cook for 30 seconds, watching for the spices to darken slightly.
  3. Add fresh lemon juice, chopped parsley, and chopped chives. Toss the cooked linguine in the cowboy butter sauce with pasta water as needed until glossy and evenly coated.
  4. Return the seared chicken strips to the skillet and top the pasta. Toss just once to distribute, then serve immediately.

Notes

Pro tip: add pasta water a splash at a time while tossing so the butter sauce turns silky and clings to the linguine. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; reheat gently until warmed through, adding a little water or butter if needed. Freezing isn’t recommended for the best sauce texture. Dietary swap: for a lighter version, use a butter blend or a reduced-fat butter substitute and keep the toss method the same.