Description
A quick and creamy pasta dish featuring tender chicken and linguine tossed in a rich, flavorful cowboy butter sauce with garlic, lemon, and a hint of spice, ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 12 ounces linguine pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup chicken broth or reserved pasta water
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the linguine in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining. Set aside.
- Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 5-7 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through (165°F). Remove from skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add minced garlic, paprika, and red pepper flakes; sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in Dijon mustard, lemon juice, lemon zest, and chicken broth (or reserved pasta water), scraping up any browned bits from the skillet.
- Pour in heavy cream and add half of the chopped parsley. Simmer for 2 minutes until the sauce lightly thickens.
- Return the chicken to the skillet. Add the cooked linguine and parmesan cheese. Toss everything together until fully coated, adding reserved pasta water as needed to adjust consistency.
- Garnish with remaining parsley and extra parmesan. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Let the chicken rest for a few minutes after cooking before slicing to keep it tender.
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice and freshly grated parmesan cheese significantly enhance the flavor.
- If the sauce is too thick, add more pasta water or broth; if too thin, simmer longer to reduce.
- Best served immediately, but leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 135mg