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Cowboy Butter Chicken Linguine

Cowboy butter chicken linguine with seared chicken strips and herb-spiced cowboy butter sauce coats every strand of linguine. This spicy butter chicken pasta gets its vivid, aromatic finish from lemon zest-style brightness and fresh parsley, plus a hit of red pepper flakes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 850
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken strips
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts Cut into strips.
  • 0.25 Salt To taste.
  • 0.25 pepper To taste.
  • 1 Cajun seasoning To taste.
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Linguine
  • 12 oz linguine Cooked; reserve 1 cup pasta water.
Cowboy butter sauce
  • 6 tbsp butter For the cowboy butter sauce.
  • 4 garlic Minced.
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley Chopped.
  • 1 tbsp fresh chives Chopped.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken strips with salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning, rubbing so spices cling evenly. Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over high heat and sear for 4-5 minutes, stirring once, until charred and cooked through; remove to a plate.
Build the cowboy butter sauce
  1. Melt the butter in the same skillet over medium heat, then add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, and cayenne, cooking for 30 seconds until the spices bloom.
  2. Add fresh lemon juice, chopped parsley, and chopped chives, then toss in the cooked linguine with reserved pasta water as needed to coat every strand and loosen the sauce.
Finish and serve
  1. Return the seared chicken strips to the skillet and top the pasta with the chicken, fanning pieces across the surface. Serve immediately while the sauce is glossy and the chicken is hot.

Notes

Pro tip: Reserve pasta water and add it gradually—start with 1/2 cup, then toss until the sauce turns silky and clings to the linguine. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water to restore looseness. Freezing is not recommended because the sauce can separate and the pasta texture changes. Dietary swap: use gluten-free linguine if needed for a gluten-free version (check that Cajun seasoning is gluten-free).