Cowboy Butter Chicken Linguine with a Measured Herb Butter (Print-Friendly Version)
Chicken and linguine are coated in a cream sauce finished with seasoned butter. The four-tablespoon butter allowance is split between cooking and sauce, resolving the conflicting amounts in the earlier drafts.
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House placeholder — AdSense units launch here# Ingredients You’ll Need:
01 - 8 ounces linguine
02 - 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces; 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon each paprika, garlic salt and kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon pepper, for chicken
04 - 1/4 cup prepared cowboy butter, divided into two 2-tablespoon portions (batch formula below)
05 - 3/4 cup heavy cream; 1 teaspoon garlic salt; 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
06 - Optional lemon wedges and parsley
# How to Make It:
01 - Prepare the butter described below, then measure only four tablespoons for this pasta. Cook linguine following its package; drain.
02 - Heat oil; season and sear chicken 3–4 minutes. Add two tablespoons butter, turn pieces and cook to 165°F; remove.
03 - Over low heat, combine remaining two tablespoons butter, cream, sauce garlic salt and flakes, scraping the skillet.
04 - Add chicken, pasta and lemon juice. Toss until coated and hot; garnish if desired.
# Extra Suggestions:
01 - For a separate batch, mix 113 g softened butter with 1 tablespoon each Dijon, chives and parsley, 2 teaspoons each thyme and minced garlic, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon each pepper, cayenne and red pepper flakes. Use only four tablespoons of the finished mixture in the pasta; refrigerate the remainder promptly.
02 - One portion seasons the chicken and the other belongs to the sauce. Measure them separately before cooking. Products vary in salt content; add the sauce portion gradually and taste before using all of it. Plain garlic powder does not have the same composition, so changing products changes the seasoning balance.
03 - Lower the heat before cream enters the skillet. Stir along the bottom to release browned chicken residue without allowing the cream to boil aggressively. Keep the pasta nearby so the finished sauce does not continue reducing while you start another task. If it becomes too tight, loosen a little at a time with warm water.
04 - Cut chicken into similar pieces and check several thick pieces with a thermometer before removing them from the skillet. Once cooked, return them only long enough to coat and heat through. Use clean utensils for the finished dish, and keep the plate that held raw chicken away from the serving area.