**Creamy Cowboy Butter Chicken Pasta**
A swift and simple chicken pasta bursting with the flavors of cowboy butter! Cowboy butter is a compound butter filled with garlic, parsley, chives, thyme, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, paprika, and chili flakes, making it delightful on steaks, bagels, and more. It also serves as a delicious sauce for pasta! This recipe captures all the essence of cowboy butter and is incredibly easy to prepare. The process begins with cooking seasoned chicken (in butter), then setting it aside while you sauté onions and peppers. Garlic, thyme, paprika, and red pepper flakes are incorporated before creating the sauce with broth and cream. The finishing touches include Dijon mustard, lemon juice, parsley, and chives, followed by mixing in the pasta for a delightful meal! This creamy cowboy butter chicken pasta is quick and easy to prepare, making it ideal for hectic weeknights and is loaded with flavor; sure to vanish rapidly from plates!
**Prep Time**: 10 minutes
**Cook Time**: 25 minutes
**Total Time**: 35 minutes
**Servings**: 4
**Ingredients:**
– 8 ounces pasta (gluten-free for gluten-free)
– 2 tablespoons butter
– 1 pound boneless and skinless chicken thighs (or breasts), diced into bite-sized pieces
– 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
– 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
– 1/2 teaspoon (smoked) paprika
– 1/2 teaspoon salt
– 1/2 teaspoon pepper
– 1/4 cup butter
– 1 onion, chopped
– 1 bell pepper, chopped
– 2 cloves garlic minced/grated
– 1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
– 1 teaspoon (smoked) paprika
– 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
– 1 cup chicken broth
– 1/2 cup heavy/whipping cream
– 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
– 1/2 lemon, juice and zest
– 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
– 1 tablespoon chives, chopped
– Salt and pepper to taste
**Directions:**
1. Begin cooking the pasta as per the package instructions.
2. In the meantime, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, add the chicken, seasoned with onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper, and cook for about 10 minutes before removing it from the pan.
3. Incorporate the onion and bell pepper into the skillet and cook until soft, roughly 5-8 minutes.
4. Add the garlic, thyme, paprika, and red pepper flakes, stir, and cook until aromatic, about a minute.
5. Pour in 1/2 cup of the broth and deglaze the pan by scraping any browned bits from the bottom as the broth bubbles.
6. Add the rest of the broth and cream, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let simmer for 5 minutes.
7. Stir in the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley, and chives before adjusting seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
8. Combine the cooked and drained pasta and relish your meal!
**Options:**
– Sauté the onion and bell pepper at the same time as the chicken to save a few minutes!
– Turn this into a one-pan dish by incorporating an additional 2 cups of broth in step 6 and cooking the pasta in the pan until done, approximately 10 minutes.
– Mix in 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (gluten-free for gluten-free), together with the broth.
– Incorporate 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano (parmesan cheese), grated, along with the cream.
**Nutrition Facts**: Calories 557, Fat 34g (Saturated 19g, Trans 0.3g), Cholesterol 187mg, Sodium 545mg, Carbs 53g (Fiber 4g, Sugars 6g), Protein 33g.