Cowboy Butter Chicken Linguine
Serves 3 - double recipe
- 8 ounces linguine pasta
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces OR premade meatballs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup pasta water or heavy cream
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
*Steps: prep ingredients, bake meatballs, boil pasta, make sauce, combine
- In a Dutch oven, cook the linguine according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
- Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.(Alternatively, bake meatballs at 350 convection oven for 9-10 minutes.)
- In the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium and add the butter. Once melted, add the minced garlic, smoked paprika, oregano, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the cherry tomatoes to the skillet and cook for another 3-4 minutes until they start to soften. Add the cooked meat to the skillet and stir to combine.
- Add the sauce mixture to the cooked linguine along with the reserved pasta water (or cream) and lemon juice. Toss everything together until well combined and heated through.
- Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese.