Zesty Cowboy Butter Chicken Pasta (Print Version)
Sliced chicken with zesty cowboy butter over lemony pasta and crisp broccoli.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
03 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
06 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
07 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
→ Cowboy Butter
09 - 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
10 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
11 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
14 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
15 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
16 - Zest of 1 lemon
17 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Pasta and Broccoli
18 - 12 ounces bowtie (farfalle) pasta
19 - 1 large lemon, zest and juice
20 - 10 ounces broccoli florets
21 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
22 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
23 - Fresh parsley, chopped
24 - Lemon wedges
# How-To Steps:
01 - In a small bowl, combine smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Rub the chicken breasts with olive oil, then coat evenly with the spice mixture on all sides.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the seasoned chicken breasts in the skillet and sear for 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing into thick strips.
03 - In a mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes, chopped parsley, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt and black pepper. Stir vigorously until all ingredients are fully incorporated and the butter is smooth and creamy.
04 - Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the farfalle pasta and cook according to package directions. During the final 2 to 3 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli florets to the boiling water. Drain through a colander, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water.
05 - Return the drained pasta and broccoli to the saucepan. Drizzle with olive oil, then add the lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and reserved pasta water. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and toss gently until evenly coated.
06 - Return the sliced chicken to the warm skillet. Dollop generous spoonfuls of the cowboy butter over the top and allow it to melt over the chicken, basting the pieces in the flavored butter.
07 - Divide the lemony bowtie pasta and crisp broccoli among serving plates. Top each portion with the cowboy butter chicken slices and spoon any remaining melted butter from the skillet over the top. Garnish with extra chopped parsley and lemon wedges if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The cowboy butter is a flavor bomb that makes everything it touches taste like you spent three times as long in the kitchen.
- One pot handles the pasta and broccoli together, which means fewer dishes and more time to pour yourself a glass of wine.
- It hits every note, smoky, bright, rich, and fresh, all on one plate without requiring any fancy technique.
02 -
- Do not rush the butter softening process because cold butter will leave you with lumpy uneven compound butter that refuses to melt properly on the chicken.
- Reserving that pasta water is not optional since the starch helps the lemon and oil cling to the farfalle instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
- Letting the chicken rest for five minutes before slicing keeps the juices inside where they belong rather than running all over your cutting board.
03 -
- Cover the chicken with plastic wrap and pound it to an even half inch thickness before seasoning so every piece finishes cooking at the same time.
- Make double the cowboy butter and freeze the extra rolled in plastic wrap because having it on hand turns any plain protein into a weeknight triumph.