Description
Creamy Chicken Linguine is your new weeknight hero—fast, flavorful, and ultra-comforting. This rich pasta dish features tender chicken tossed with silky linguine in a cowboy butter sauce bursting with garlic, lemon, Dijon, and a touch of heat. It’s cheesy, zesty, and ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
- 8 oz linguine pasta
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Cook linguine in salted water until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
- Season chicken with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. In a large skillet, heat olive oil and butter. Add chicken and cook until golden and fully done. Remove from pan and set aside.
- In the same skillet, melt the butter. Stir in chicken broth, heavy cream, Dijon mustard, and red pepper flakes. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 4–5 minutes.
- Add the chicken back to the skillet along with the drained pasta. Toss well to coat everything in the sauce. Stir in Parmesan, parsley, and lemon juice. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
- Top with extra Parmesan and parsley. Serve immediately and enjoy every creamy, flavorful bite.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of broth or cream.
- Not recommended for freezing as the sauce may separate.
- Use shrimp, tofu, or veggies like spinach or cherry tomatoes for variation.
- Leave out the cayenne and red pepper flakes for a kid-friendly version.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 20g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
Keywords: creamy chicken linguine, cowboy butter pasta, chicken pasta dinner