Cowboy Butter Chicken Linguine is tender strips of chicken and al dente pasta tossed in a creamy, zesty sauce made with cowboy butter, heavy cream, and crushed red pepper. It’s a delicious pasta dish that can be on the table in about 30 minutes! Once you taste how flavorful the homemade compound butter is, you will want to make my Cowboy Butter Chicken and Potatoes, too!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Pasta: I used linguine to hold the sauce. But, you could also use any pasta you have on hand. Or, make homemade shaped pasta to use.
- Chicken: Cut up about a pound and a half of boneless, skinless chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. Try to keep the pieces as close to the same size as you can. This ensures even cooking. If preferred, you can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Just make sure the chicken is fully cooked, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F. Season the chicken with paprika, garlic salt, salt, and pepper.
- Cowboy Butter: The star of this recipe is the cowboy butter. It is a compound butter made by blending various flavors, including herbs and spices, into butter. It has a touch of heat from cayenne and crushed red pepper flakes, making it perfect as a dip or spread, too. You will absolutely love it! And, since I have made it, I have been using it as often as possible (check out my Cowboy Butter Chicken Skewers and Cowboy Mushrooms), it is so good!
- Heavy Cream: Heavy whipping cream gives the sauce some creaminess.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: For a little heat to the dish, I added some crushed red pepper flakes. You could leave those out if you are not a fan. Or, add more if you want the sauce to be a little spicier!
Why You Will Love Cowboy Butter Chicken Linguine
There are many reasons why I love (and you will, too) this dish. Here are just a few:
- Delicious & Flavorful: The cowboy butter provides a burst of flavor that complements the chicken and pasta perfectly.
- Easy to Make: With just a few ingredients and not much effort, this dish is ready to go!
- Under 30 Minutes: This recipe can be put together and on the table in under 30 minutes, perfect for busy nights!
- Add Vegetables: Vegetables like bell peppers, spinach, or cherry tomatoes would complement the dish well.
- Versatile: You can customize this dish by adjusting the level of spice, using different pasta shapes, or even substituting the protein, such as shrimp or tofu instead of chicken. Or, you can even leave out the chicken and enjoy a plate of pasta in the cowboy sauce!
Can I Make Chicken Linguine Without Cowboy Butter?
Well, you could, but I really encourage you to try it. Seriously, you will find so many ways to use it! But, if you don’t have any on hand, you could use regular garlic butter or a mixture of melted butter with your favorite herbs and spices.
How To Store Cowboy Butter Chicken Linguine
To store leftovers, first, let the dish cool to room temperature. Next, store the pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last up to 3-4 days. Reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop. You may want to add a little water to keep it from drying out.
More Recipes with Cowboy Butter
Cowboy Butter Chicken Linguine
Ingredients
- 8 ounces linguine
Chicken
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch bites
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Sauce
- ¼ cup (4 tablespoons / 57 g) cowboy butter, divided
- ¾ cup (178.5 g) heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- lemon slices, for garnish
- parsley, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Drain pasta and set aside.
- To a large skillet over medium-high heat, add oil. Once hot, add the chicken in a single layer. Season chicken evenly with paprika, garlic salt, salt, and pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes on one side, or until golden brown.
- Nestle 2 tablespoons cowboy butter into the skillet. Flip pieces of chicken and cook until browned and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F, another 3-4 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the pan. Place onto a plate and tent to keep warm.
- Reduce heat to low. Add the rest of the cowboy butter, heavy cream, garlic salt, and red pepper flakes. Use a spatula to scrape up the brown bits in the pan, and stir until the butter has melted.
- Add the cooked linguine and chicken to the skillet, tossing to coat in the sauce.
- Add lemon juice. Stir to combine.
- Serve the dish garnished with lemon slices.
Video
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What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
The cowboy butter sauce on this chicken linguine is irresistible! It's creamy, flavorful, and just the right amount of spicy. A definite winner!
Elizabeth
This was delicious! I loved the cowboy butter sauce, and I also love having protein added to pasta. Next time, I will add a few more red pepper flakes to kick up the heat a notch.
Annabelle
I couldn't get enough of this cowboy butter chicken linguine! The flavors were amazing, and the chicken was cooked to perfection. It's a dish I'll definitely be making again.
Bella
I absolutely loved this! The combination of flavors was fantastic, and the chicken was perfectly seasoned. It's a new favorite for me!
Selena
This dish was a hit with my family! The cowboy butter added a delicious richness to the pasta, and the chicken was so flavorful and tender. Plus, it was quick and easy to make. A definite winner!
Love this!!!