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Cowboy Chicken Broccoli Butter Lemon Bowtie

A hearty, flavor-packed weeknight dinner featuring boldly seasoned seared chicken, tender bowtie pasta, and fresh broccoli, all tossed in a glossy, savory lemon garlic butter pan sauce.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian-American
Calories: 680

Ingredients
  

Pasta & Veggies
  • 12 oz bowtie pasta (farfalle)
  • 2 cups fresh broccoli florets bite-sized
Cowboy Chicken
  • 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp onion powder
  • 0.25 tsp crushed red pepper flakes adjust to taste
  • 1 tsp salt plus more for boiling pasta
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Lemon Butter Sauce
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 0.5 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest from 1 lemon
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
  • 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese grated, for serving

Equipment

  • Large Pot
  • Large heavy-bottomed skillet
  • Cutting Board
  • Chef's Knife

Method
 

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook bowtie pasta according to package directions. In the last 3 minutes of boiling, add the broccoli florets. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain pasta and broccoli and set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, toss the chicken pieces with smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.
  3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken in a single layer. Cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes to brown, then flip and cook another 3-4 minutes until cooked through. Remove chicken to a plate.
  4. Reduce skillet heat to medium-low. Add the butter. Once melted, add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  5. Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let simmer for 2 minutes to slightly reduce.
  6. Stir in the fresh lemon juice and zest. Turn heat to low.
  7. Add the cooked pasta, broccoli, and chicken back into the skillet. Toss vigorously to coat everything in the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, splash in a little reserved pasta water until a glossy glaze forms.
  8. Garnish with fresh parsley, Parmesan cheese, and extra lemon slices. Serve hot.

Notes

To ensure your butter sauce doesn't break, keep the heat low when emulsifying the final ingredients. If using frozen broccoli, thaw and drain completely before adding to the pan.