Cowboy Butter Lemon Chicken (Printer-friendly)

Tender chicken and bowtie pasta coated in a garlicky, herb-packed cowboy butter sauce with fresh lemon and Parmesan.

# What You Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced

→ Pasta

02 - 10 oz bowtie (farfalle) pasta

→ Cowboy Butter Sauce

03 - 7 tbsp unsalted butter
04 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
06 - 1 tsp hot sauce (e.g., Tabasco)
07 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped (optional)
09 - 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
10 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
11 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
12 - Zest and juice of 1 lemon
13 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Additional

14 - 2 tbsp olive oil
15 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add bowtie pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain through a colander and set aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season diced chicken breasts with salt and black pepper, then add to the hot skillet. Cook for 7–8 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.
03 - Reduce the skillet heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and all of the butter. Once the butter has melted completely, stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant and lightly golden.
04 - Add Dijon mustard, hot sauce, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, chopped parsley, chives (if using), and fresh thyme leaves to the skillet. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients into a cohesive sauce.
05 - Stir in the lemon zest and fresh lemon juice, mixing well to incorporate. Taste the sauce and adjust salt and black pepper as needed.
06 - Return the seared chicken to the skillet, then add the drained bowtie pasta. Toss everything together vigorously until the chicken and pasta are evenly coated in the cowboy butter lemon sauce.
07 - Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over the top and toss once more to distribute. Serve immediately on warmed plates, garnished with additional fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cowboy butter sauce tastes like something you would drizzle over everything if no one was watching, rich, garlicky, and just spicy enough to keep you curious.
  • Bowtie pasta holds the sauce in its little folds, so every bite is loaded with flavor instead of slipping away like smoother pastas tend to do.
02 -
  • Do not walk away from the garlic in the butter, it goes from fragrant to bitter in about thirty seconds and that bitterness will ruin the entire sauce.
  • Cooking the chicken in a single layer without crowding is the difference between a good sear and steamed, gray, sad pieces that no sauce can rescue.
03 -
  • Let the butter foam but not brown, you want it to taste rich and sweet, not nutty, because the lemon and paprika need a neutral base to shine from.
  • Reserve a quarter cup of pasta water before draining, if your sauce ends up too thick or the pasta seems dry, a splash of that starchy water brings everything back to life instantly.

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