Cowboy Butter Lemon Bowtie Chicken (Printer-Friendly)

Buttery, lemon-kissed chicken and bowtie pasta tossed with smoky cowboy butter and fresh herbs for a bright weeknight dinner.

# What You'll Need:

→ Protein & Pasta

01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 12 oz bowtie pasta (farfalle)

→ Cowboy Butter Sauce

03 - 7 tbsp unsalted butter
04 - 5 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
06 - Zest of 1 lemon
07 - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
08 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
09 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
10 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
11 - 1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
12 - 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
13 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Optional Additions

14 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
15 - Lemon wedges, for serving

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the bowtie pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, season the bite-sized chicken pieces generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper on all sides.
03 - Melt 2 tbsp of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken in a single layer and sauté until golden brown and cooked through, approximately 7–8 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
04 - Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining butter to the skillet. Once melted, stir in the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in the lemon juice and add the lemon zest, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir well until the sauce comes together smoothly.
05 - Return the seared chicken to the skillet. Add the chopped parsley, chives, and thyme. Toss to coat the chicken evenly in the sauce and allow it to simmer together for 1–2 minutes.
06 - Add the drained bowtie pasta to the skillet. Toss everything together until the pasta is well coated and the sauce is evenly distributed. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese if desired.
07 - Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately, garnished with extra fresh herbs and lemon wedges alongside.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cowboy butter sauce comes together in the same pan you cook the chicken in, so every caramelized bit gets folded back into the dish.
  • It tastes like something you would order at a restaurant but honestly takes barely any effort to pull off at home.
  • Those fresh herbs and lemon zest make it feel bright and alive, never heavy despite all that butter.
02 -
  • Do not rush the chicken sear because that golden crust is where half the flavor lives, and the fond left behind becomes the base of your sauce.
  • Keep the heat at medium when you add the garlic, since burnt garlic turns bitter and will ruin the whole pan in seconds.
  • Tossing the pasta in the sauce off the heat for a minute before serving helps it absorb more flavor without overcooking.
03 -
  • Use a microplane to zest the lemon directly into the pan so the essential oils spray right into the butter instead of sitting on a cutting board.
  • Let the cooked chicken rest for a couple of minutes off the heat before returning it to the sauce so it stays juicy and does not dry out during the final toss.

Go Back