Cowboy Butter Chicken Pastaa
This Cowboy Butter Chicken Pastaa is rich, garlicky, and packed with bold flavor. Tender chicken in a buttery herb sauce over creamy pasta—comfort food done right.
Ingredients
- - 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast cubed
- - 8 oz rotini pasta
- - 1 tbsp olive oil
- - 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- - 4 garlic cloves minced
- - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- - 1 tsp lemon juice
- - ½ tsp red pepper flakes optional
- - 1 tsp smoked paprika
- - ½ tsp garlic powder
- - ½ tsp onion powder
- - Salt and pepper to taste
- - 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- - ½ tsp thyme
- - ½ tsp rosemary
- - ¼ cup grated Parmesan optional
- - ½ cup reserved pasta water as needed
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente. Drain and reserve ½ cup pasta water.
- Season chicken with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sear until browned and cooked through. Remove from skillet.
- In the same skillet, melt butter. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir in mustard, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, parsley, thyme, rosemary, and adjust seasoning. Let simmer 1–2 minutes.
- Return chicken to skillet and stir to coat in cowboy butter sauce.
- Add pasta and reserved water as needed. Toss to coat.
- Sprinkle with Parmesan (optional) and more parsley. Serve hot.
Notes
- Add more red pepper flakes if you like extra heat.
- Swap rotini for penne or fettuccine.
- Tastes even better the next day—perfect for meal prep.
- For a dairy-free version, use vegan butter and skip Parmesan.
- Swap rotini for penne or fettuccine.
- Tastes even better the next day—perfect for meal prep.
- For a dairy-free version, use vegan butter and skip Parmesan.