Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Pat the chicken breasts dry. Season both sides with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, onion powder, and crushed red pepper flakes if you are using them.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 6 to 7 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F). Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.
- While the chicken cooks, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
- In the same skillet, melt the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, parsley, and thyme. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken broth and lemon juice, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes for the flavors to combine.
- Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice if you think it needs it.
- While the sauce simmers, slice the cooked chicken breasts into thin strips.
- Add the drained linguine to the skillet with the cowboy butter sauce. Toss the pasta in the sauce, adding the reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce reaches the consistency you want.
- Gently fold in the sliced chicken and stir to combine everything.
- Divide the cowboy butter chicken linguine among plates. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
- Garnish with extra parsley and thyme, and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Notes
You can substitute linguine with fettuccine or spaghetti. If you want a richer sauce, use heavy cream instead of some of the reserved pasta water.