Cowboy Butter Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Creamy pasta with tender chicken and zesty cowboy butter sauce featuring herbs, citrus, and spices.

# What You Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Pasta

02 - 12 oz penne or rigatoni

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced
04 - 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
05 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 2 cups baby spinach

→ Cowboy Butter Sauce

08 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter
09 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
12 - 1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional, adjust to taste)
13 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
15 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
16 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
17 - 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
18 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Creamy Finish

19 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
20 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

# Steps:

01 - Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water for later use.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper, then sauté until golden brown and cooked through, approximately 5-6 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, add red and yellow bell peppers with red onion. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until vegetables begin to soften. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining butter, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce if using, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, oregano, parsley, and chives. Stir continuously until butter melts and spices become aromatic.
05 - Pour heavy cream into the skillet and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Stir gently until cheese melts completely and sauce achieves a smooth, velvety consistency.
06 - Return cooked chicken to the skillet along with baby spinach. Cook briefly, about 1 minute, just until spinach wilts completely.
07 - Add drained pasta to the skillet, tossing thoroughly to coat every piece with sauce. If consistency appears too thick, incorporate reserved pasta water a splash at a time until desired creaminess is achieved. Adjust final seasoning with salt, pepper, or additional lemon juice as needed. Serve immediately, garnished with extra herbs and Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in minutes but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
  • You get tender chicken, vibrant vegetables, and pasta all in one pan
  • The zesty cowboy butter flavor keeps everyone coming back for seconds
02 -
  • That reserved pasta water is liquid gold for adjusting sauce consistency, so do not pour it down the drain
  • The cowboy butter sauce can separate if the heat is too high when adding cream, so keep that burner on medium or lower
  • Seasoning the chicken aggressively before cooking makes all the difference between bland and bold
03 -
  • Pat your chicken really dry before seasoning and it will develop a much better golden crust
  • Let the cowboy butter mixture bubble gently for a full minute before adding cream to develop deeper flavor

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