Cowboy Butter Chicken Pasta | Creamy & Delicious
Creamy, buttery, and full of flavor, this Cowboy Butter Chicken Pasta combines tender chicken with a rich garlic sauce and perfectly cooked pasta. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s a comforting weeknight dinner that feels restaurant-quality but is easy to make at home.
Ingredients
- 12 oz pasta (penne, fettuccine, or your choice)
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 cup heavy cream (or coconut milk for a lighter version)
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, adjust to taste)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
- Cook the chicken: Melt 2 tbsp butter in a skillet. Season chicken with salt and pepper, cook until golden and cooked through (5–7 minutes). Remove and set aside.
- Sauté onion and garlic: In the same skillet, add remaining butter. Cook onion and garlic for 3–4 minutes until soft and fragrant.
- Make the sauce: Add heavy cream, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Simmer 5 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
- Combine pasta and chicken: Return chicken to skillet, add pasta, and toss to coat in sauce. Add reserved pasta water if sauce is too thick. Stir in Parmesan cheese until creamy.
- Serve: Plate pasta and garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.