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Cowboy Butter Lemon Bowtie Chicken Pasta with Broccoli

Cowboy Butter Lemon Bowtie Chicken Pasta with Broccoli

A bright, savory skillet meal featuring bowtie pasta, seared chicken, and broccoli tossed in a zesty compound butter sauce made with fresh herbs, garlic, and lemon.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 590

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 12 oz bowtie pasta farfalle
  • 3 cups fresh broccoli florets
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter divided
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 medium lemon zested and juiced
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh chives chopped
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme chopped
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp salt divided
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 0.25 cup grated parmesan cheese

Equipment

  • Large Pot
  • Large skillet
  • Whisk

Method
 

  1. Cook pasta and broccoli. Boil bowtie pasta in salted water. During the last 3 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli florets to the pot. Reserve 0.5 cup of pasta water, then drain.
  2. Sear the chicken. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with 0.5 tsp salt and pepper. Cook for 4 minutes, flip, and cook 3-4 more minutes until done. Remove chicken from skillet.
  3. Make the cowboy butter. Lower heat to medium-low. Melt the butter in the same skillet. Whisk in the garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, chives, thyme, Dijon mustard, red pepper flakes, and remaining 0.5 tsp salt. Simmer for 1 minute.
  4. Combine everything. Add the cooked chicken, drained pasta, and broccoli into the butter sauce. Toss to coat. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to gloss the sauce.
  5. Garnish and serve. Remove from heat, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, and serve immediately.

Notes

  • The Dijon mustard is essential for keeping the butter and lemon juice emulsified into a sauce.
  • If using frozen broccoli, thaw it completely and add it at the very end; do not boil it with the pasta.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • Reheat with a small splash of water to help the butter sauce melt back into the noodles smoothly.