... Print

Creamy Lemon Cowboy Butter Chicken with Farfalle Pasta

A bowl of cowboy butter lemon bowtie chicken pasta topped with fresh parsley and sun-dried tomatoes.
Print Recipe
Save Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

You will make a rich, flavorful dinner featuring tender chicken coated in a bright lemon cowboy butter sauce, served over bowtie pasta. This recipe is simple enough for a weeknight.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 8 ounces farfalle (bowtie) pasta
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (packed in oil, drained)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Cook the bowtie pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining. Set the pasta aside.
  2. Season the cut chicken pieces generously with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
  3. Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn.
  5. Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it simmer for 2 minutes.
  6. Stir in the heavy cream, Italian seasoning, lemon zest, and sun-dried tomatoes. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
  7. Whisk in the Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth. Stir in the fresh lemon juice. Taste the sauce and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
  8. Return the cooked chicken to the skillet. Add the drained bowtie pasta. Toss everything together to coat well.
  9. If the sauce seems too thick, add the reserved pasta water, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency for this creamy bowtie pasta with chicken.
  10. Stir in the fresh parsley just before serving. Serve this flavorful cream sauce chicken immediately.

Notes

  • For an extra layer of flavor in your cowboy butter sauce, you can add 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes along with the garlic.
  • If you do not have fresh parsley, dried parsley works, but use only 1 teaspoon.
  • This recipe works well as a quick lemon herb chicken pasta if you skip the cream and use only broth and lemon juice for a lighter sauce.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://carlacooking.com/cowboy-butter-lemon-bowtie-chicken-recipe/