Zesty Cowboy Butter Chicken Pasta (Printable)
Juicy spiced chicken with zesty cowboy butter over lemony pasta and crisp broccoli for a bold, satisfying meal.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
02 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
03 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
04 - 1/2 tsp onion powder
05 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
06 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt
07 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
08 - 2 tbsp olive oil
→ Cowboy Butter
09 - 6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
10 - 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
11 - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
12 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
14 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
15 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
16 - Zest of 1 lemon
17 - Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Pasta and Broccoli
18 - 12 oz bowtie (farfalle) pasta
19 - 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
20 - 10 oz broccoli florets, trimmed into bite-sized pieces
21 - 2 tbsp olive oil
22 - Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
23 - Additional fresh parsley, chopped
24 - Lemon wedges
# Steps:
01 - In a small bowl, combine smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, kosher salt, and black pepper. Drizzle the chicken breasts with olive oil and generously coat both sides with the spice blend, pressing gently to adhere.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken breasts for 5 to 6 minutes per side until deeply golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a cutting board and rest for 5 minutes before slicing into thick strips.
03 - In a mixing bowl, combine softened butter, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, fresh lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes, chopped parsley, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend vigorously with a fork or spatula until smooth and fully incorporated.
04 - Bring a large saucepan of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the farfalle according to package instructions. During the final 2 to 3 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli florets to the boiling water. Reserve 1/4 cup of the starchy pasta water, then drain everything together in a colander.
05 - Return the drained pasta and broccoli to the saucepan. Drizzle with olive oil, add the lemon zest and fresh lemon juice, and splash in the reserved pasta water. Season with salt and pepper to taste, tossing gently until evenly coated.
06 - Return the sliced chicken to the warm skillet and spoon generous dollops of the prepared cowboy butter over the top. Allow the butter to melt and baste the chicken in the rich, seasoned sauce over low heat for about 1 minute.
07 - Divide the lemony bowtie pasta and crisp broccoli among plates. Top each portion with the cowboy butter chicken and spoon any remaining butter sauce from the skillet over the top. Finish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and lemon wedges on the side.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The cowboy butter melts into the chicken like a sauce you did not have to stand over the stove stirring for an hour to make.
- Lemon and broccoli keep the whole plate bright enough that you never feel weighed down, even after a second helping.
- It looks like you tried far harder than you actually did, which is the best kind of weeknight dinner trick.
02 -
- Let the butter fully soften at room temperature before mixing or you will end up with lumpy chunks that never incorporate smoothly.
- Reserving pasta water is not optional because that starchy liquid is the thin line between a glossy dressed bowl of pasta and a dry clumpy one.
- The cayenne in the spice rub and the red pepper flakes in the butter each add heat independently, so taste as you go if you are sensitive to spice.
03 -
- Slice the chicken on a slight diagonal so each piece shows off the juicy interior and gives the butter more surface area to cascade over.
- Make double the cowboy butter and roll the extra into a log inside plastic wrap, because having it on hand for steak, corn, or toast will change your week.