Cowboy Butter Chicken Pasta

This Cowboy Butter Chicken Pasta is a creamy, lemony, garlic-butter pasta topped with juicy chicken and made for busy family nights. It feels special but comes together quickly, making it perfect for cozy dinners and kitchen memories.

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Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cowboy Butter Chicken Pasta, cowboy butter sauce, creamy chicken pasta, easy weeknight dinner, family pasta recipe

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 40

Servings: servings

Calories: 620kcal

Cost: $18

Equipment

Large pot For boiling the pasta
Large Skillet A 12-inch skillet works best
Medium mixing bowl For making the cowboy butter
Tongs or pasta fork

Ingredients

Cowboy Butter

0.5 cup unsalted butter softened
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
0.5 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes adjust to taste
2 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
1 tablespoon fresh chives chopped
to taste salt and black pepper

Pasta

1 lb rotini or linguine pasta
1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup heavy cream
0.5 cup pasta cooking water reserved
0.5 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated

Instructions

In a medium bowl, mix the softened butter, garlic, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, lemon zest, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, parsley, chives, salt, and black pepper until smooth. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining.
Season the chicken with salt and black pepper.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until golden and cooked through.
Lower the heat and add half of the cowboy butter to the skillet. Once melted, stir in the heavy cream and let simmer gently until slightly thickened.
Add the cooked pasta and chicken to the skillet. Toss gently, adding pasta water as needed. Stir in Parmesan cheese until coated.
Remove from heat, garnish with extra parsley and Parmesan, and serve warm.

Notes

You can make this less spicy by reducing the red pepper flakes or skipping them entirely for younger kids.
Leftovers store well in an airtight container for up to 3 days and reheat best with a splash of cream or pasta water.
Swap chicken breasts for thighs if you prefer juicier meat.
This recipe is perfect for letting kids help stir, sprinkle, and taste safely.

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