Description
A cozy pasta dish that’s creamy, garlicky, and ready in just half an hour—perfect for those hectic weeknights when you want comfort food without the fuss.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 12 oz linguine (or pasta of choice)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp butter
- 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
- Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tbsp)
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ½ cup chicken broth (or saved pasta water)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the linguine until al dente. Before draining, scoop out about ½ cup of the cooking water to save for the sauce. Set pasta aside.
- Sear the chicken.
- Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then cook for 5–7 minutes until golden on the outside and fully cooked inside. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
- Build the cowboy butter base.
- In the same pan, melt the butter. Toss in the garlic, paprika, and (if using) red pepper flakes. Stir for about 1 minute until the kitchen smells amazing—just don’t let the garlic burn.
- Layer in flavor.
- Whisk in Dijon mustard, lemon juice, zest, and chicken broth (or that reserved pasta water). Scrape up any browned bits stuck to the pan—they add loads of flavor. Let it bubble for a minute or two.
- Make it creamy.
- Lower the heat slightly, then stir in the cream along with half the parsley. Simmer gently until the sauce thickens just enough to coat a spoon, about 2 minutes.
- Put it all together.
- Add the chicken back into the skillet, followed by the pasta and parmesan. Toss well to coat, splashing in extra pasta water if the sauce feels too thick.
- Serve it hot.
- Taste, adjust with more salt or pepper, and finish with the remaining parsley and a little extra parmesan. Serve right away while it’s silky and warm.
Notes
- Don’t skip the pasta water! It’s liquid gold for keeping the sauce silky and helping it cling to the noodles.
- Keep garlic in check. Pull it off the heat the second it turns fragrant; burnt garlic = bitter sauce.
- Adjust the spice. Leave out the red pepper flakes for a kid-friendly version, or double it if you like a little kick.
- For reheating: Warm gently with a splash of milk or water to bring back the creaminess.
- Freezer-friendly: For best texture, freeze the sauce and pasta separately. This way, reheating is a breeze and nothing gets mushy.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 600 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg