Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. 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 the chicken is 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 instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water for later use.
- Melt the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter in the same skillet used to cook the chicken 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 to let the flavors combine.
- Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and additional lemon juice if necessary.
- 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 reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
- 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 additional parsley and thyme, and serve immediately.
Notes
This dish works well with other pasta shapes if you do not have linguine. You can substitute chicken thighs for breasts, adjusting the cooking time as needed.