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Cowboy Butter Chicken Linguine

Cowboy butter chicken linguine is a weeknight pasta dinner where seared chicken strips and linguine get coated in a bold herb-spiced cowboy butter sauce. The sauce turns glossy with Dijon, smoked paprika, and chili heat, then loosens with reserved pasta water for silky clinging texture.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts Cut into strips.
  • salt To taste.
  • pepper To taste.
  • Cajun seasoning To taste.
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Pasta
  • 12 oz linguine Cooked; reserve 1 cup pasta water.
  • 1 cup pasta water Reserved from cooking.
Cowboy Butter Sauce
  • 6 tbsp butter
  • 4 garlic Minced.
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley Chopped.
  • 1 tbsp fresh chives Chopped.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken strips with salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat and cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes until charred and cooked through, then remove to a plate.
Make the cowboy butter sauce
  1. Melt butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  2. Stir in Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 30 seconds.
  3. Add fresh lemon juice, parsley, and chives. Toss the cooked linguine in the cowboy butter sauce, adding reserved pasta water as needed to make it glossy and clinging.
  4. Top the pasta with the seared chicken strips. Serve immediately so the sauce stays vivid and aromatic.

Notes

Pro tip: Reserve exactly 1 cup of pasta water so you can loosen the sauce to a silky, glossy coat without thinning it too much. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water. Freeze chicken pasta only if needed (best for up to 1 month), as fresh herbs can dull after thawing. For a lighter option, use half butter and half olive oil in the sauce.