Cowboy butter has been having a moment on the internet for good reason, and this recipe is the most practical version of it. Bold, garlicky, lemony compound butter becomes the sauce base for a 30-minute pasta dinner with seared chicken that genuinely earns the hype. The bowties catch every fleck of parsley, every bit of chive, and every drop of that zesty, slightly spicy butter in their folds.
This cowboy butter lemon bowtie chicken comes together in a single skillet after the pasta boils, which means one pan to wash and a sauce built entirely from the chicken drippings left behind. The lemon and Dijon keep the butter sauce from being heavy, and the reserved pasta water does the technical work of emulsifying everything into a glossy coating rather than a greasy puddle.
Thirty minutes, one skillet, and a dinner that tastes like you put in considerably more effort than you did.
Why You’ll Love This Cowboy Butter Lemon Bowtie Chicken
The sauce profile is what makes this recipe worth remembering. Butter and garlic are the foundation, but the Dijon mustard, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, and fresh herbs on top of that create something layered and bright that doesn’t taste like any standard butter pasta. The mustard emulsifies the sauce and adds a subtle tang. The lemon keeps everything from tipping too rich. The red pepper flakes add a gentle, lingering warmth.
Bowtie pasta is the right shape for this particular sauce. The folds and ridges catch the butter, herbs, and Parmesan in a way that flat pasta doesn’t, and the size of each piece means every bite has a good ratio of pasta to chicken and sauce.
The optional heavy cream finish is genuinely worth including if you want something closer to a restaurant-style plate. It smooths the sauce, adds body, and gives the whole dish a silkier character without muting the lemon and herb brightness.
Ingredients for Cowboy Butter Lemon Bowtie Chicken
I always use fresh lemon for both the zest and the juice in this recipe. The zest is where the most concentrated citrus oil lives, and it’s the zest that gives the cowboy butter its distinctive bright, floral lemon note. Bottled lemon juice won’t produce the same result because the aromatic compounds in the zest are what make the flavor punch through the butter sauce.
The Pasta & Protein:
- 12 oz bowtie (farfalle) pasta
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (for the chicken)
The Cowboy Butter Sauce:
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives, snipped
The Finish:
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Extra lemon wedges for serving
Reserve the pasta water before draining and keep it nearby throughout the sauce-building process. The starch in that half cup does more work in this recipe than almost any other ingredient. It’s the bridge between the fat in the butter and the pasta surface, and it’s what prevents the finished dish from sitting in a pool of separated butter rather than being evenly coated in a glossy sauce. Don’t skip it.
How to Make Cowboy Butter Lemon Bowtie Chicken
The key to the cowboy butter sauce is building it in the same skillet where the chicken seared. The browned bits left behind from the chicken sear dissolve into the butter as it melts, adding a savory depth to the sauce that a clean pan simply doesn’t produce. Don’t wipe the skillet between the chicken and the sauce.
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the bowtie pasta according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, scoop out at least half a cup of the starchy pasta water and set it aside. Drain the pasta.
- While the pasta cooks, toss the chicken pieces with olive oil, paprika, garlic salt, and pepper until evenly coated. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken for 5 to 7 minutes until golden brown on the outside and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside. Do not wipe the skillet.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes directly to the skillet with the remaining chicken drippings. Sauté for 1 minute, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant and the butter is fully melted.
- Stir in the Dijon mustard, lemon zest, lemon juice, paprika, and cayenne if using. Whisk continuously for about 30 seconds until the sauce is smooth and the butter has emulsified with the mustard and lemon. The sauce should look glossy rather than separated.
- If using the heavy cream, pour it in now along with a splash of the reserved pasta water. Let the sauce simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
- Return the seared chicken to the skillet. Add the drained bowtie pasta and toss everything together until every piece of pasta is coated in the sauce. If the pasta looks dry or the sauce looks tight, add reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time until the consistency is right.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the fresh parsley, chives, and Parmesan until combined.
- Serve immediately with fresh lemon wedges on the side for an extra squeeze of brightness over each bowl.
Pro tip: If the butter sauce looks like it’s breaking or appearing oily, add a tablespoon of pasta water and toss vigorously. The starch in the water re-emulsifies the sauce within seconds.
What to Serve with Cowboy Butter Lemon Bowtie Chicken
The bold, lemony butter sauce calls for sides that either echo the brightness or provide a clean, neutral contrast.
Roasted asparagus: The most natural pairing for this dish. Asparagus roasted with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon takes 12 minutes at 400°F and mirrors the lemon and herb profile of the cowboy butter without repeating it. The slight bitterness of asparagus balances the richness of the butter sauce well.
Simple arugula salad: Peppery arugula dressed with lemon juice and olive oil alongside this pasta is one of the most effective contrasts you can build in five minutes. The bitterness cuts through the butter and the acidity lifts each bite of the pasta that follows.
Garlic bread: A warm slice of crusty garlic bread handles the remaining sauce in the bowl and keeps the Italian-adjacent flavor thread running through the whole meal without requiring any real additional effort.
Steamed green beans: Simple, quick, and light, green beans with a squeeze of lemon over the top provide a fresh vegetable note alongside a pasta dish this rich. They take five minutes and make the plate feel more balanced.
Roasted cherry tomatoes: A handful of cherry tomatoes roasted at 425°F until blistered and jammy brings natural sweetness and acidity that plays well against the lemon and Dijon in the cowboy butter. Scatter them over the top of the finished pasta bowl for color and an extra flavor layer.
Cold glass of white wine: This is a dinner that genuinely calls for something bright and acidic alongside it. A crisp Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio picks up the lemon notes in the sauce and makes the whole meal feel considered.
Pro Tips & Variations
Chicken thighs: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs stay juicier than breasts in a high-heat sear and are more forgiving if the pan runs a little hot. They produce slightly more rendered fat in the skillet, which adds depth to the cowboy butter sauce. Use the same seasoning and timing.
Pasta shape alternatives: Penne and rotini both hold this sauce well. The ridges and tubes catch the butter and herbs in a similar way to bowtie folds. Avoid long pasta like spaghetti, which doesn’t integrate as well with chunked chicken pieces and a chunky herb butter.
Dairy-free version: Replace the butter with a high-quality vegan butter and skip the Parmesan or use a dairy-free Parmesan alternative. The lemon and Dijon carry the sauce flavor well enough that the overall character of the dish holds up without dairy.
Creamier sauce without heavy cream: If you want a silkier sauce without adding cream, add an extra tablespoon of butter and two tablespoons of pasta water to the tossing step. The additional fat and starch produce a similar glossy, coating consistency through emulsification alone.
Add shrimp: Large shrimp cooked for 2 minutes per side in the same butter sauce base instead of or alongside the chicken are a natural match for cowboy butter. They cook faster than chicken and work beautifully with the lemon and Dijon profile.
Storage & Reheating Tips
Leftover cowboy butter lemon bowtie chicken keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The pasta absorbs the butter sauce as it sits, so the dish will look drier on day two than it did freshly made. I reheat it gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat with a pat of butter and a tablespoon of water or broth, stirring until the sauce comes back together. The microwave works in a pinch at 50 percent power in 60-second intervals with a damp paper towel over the container, but the stovetop produces a noticeably better result for a butter-based sauce. This recipe does not freeze well since butter sauces separate during thawing and the pasta texture degrades significantly.
Common Questions
My cowboy butter sauce looks greasy and separated. How do I fix it? Add a tablespoon of reserved pasta water and toss or whisk vigorously. The starch in the water re-emulsifies the fat and liquid components within seconds. This is the single most important technique in the recipe and it works reliably every time as long as you have pasta water on hand.
Can I make the cowboy butter ahead of time? Yes. Mix the softened butter with the garlic, mustard, lemon zest, paprika, red pepper flakes, cayenne, parsley, and chives, then roll it into a log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for up to two months. Slice off rounds as needed and melt them directly into the skillet when building the sauce.
The sauce tastes flat. What can I add? A few finishing options: an extra squeeze of fresh lemon juice adds brightness, a pinch more red pepper flakes adds heat, and a small pat of cold butter stirred in at the very end adds gloss and richness. Taste after each addition so you don’t overcorrect in one direction.
Cowboy butter lemon bowtie chicken is the kind of pasta dinner that earns a genuine reputation in a household. The sauce is bold without being heavy, the lemon keeps everything bright, and the 30-minute window makes it realistic any night of the week. Make it once and see how fast it becomes the recipe someone asks you to make again.
Cowboy Butter Lemon Bowtie Chicken
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Cook the bowtie pasta in generously salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining. Set aside.
- Toss the chicken pieces with olive oil, paprika, garlic salt, and pepper. Sear in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes until golden and cooked through to 165°F. Remove to a plate. Do not wipe the skillet.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Sauté for 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant.
- Stir in the Dijon mustard, lemon zest, lemon juice, paprika, and cayenne if using. Whisk for 30 seconds until the sauce is smooth and emulsified.
- If using, pour in the heavy cream and a splash of pasta water. Simmer for 2 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Return the chicken to the skillet. Add the drained pasta and toss to coat. Add pasta water a tablespoon at a time if the sauce looks too tight.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the fresh parsley, chives, and Parmesan until combined. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.
