Low Carb Cowboy Butter Lemon Chicken (Print)
Tender chicken and low-carb pasta in zesty lemon cowboy butter sauce with herbs and gentle heat.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 1/2 tsp salt
03 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
04 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
→ Low-Carb Pasta
05 - 8 oz low-carb bowtie pasta (shirataki, lupin flour, or high-protein pasta)
→ Cowboy Butter Sauce
06 - 6 tbsp unsalted butter
07 - 4 cloves garlic minced
08 - Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
09 - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
10 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
11 - 1 tsp dried parsley
12 - 1 tsp dried chives
13 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
14 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ Garnish
15 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
16 - Lemon wedges for serving
# How To Make:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook low-carb pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
02 - Season chicken pieces evenly with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
03 - In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tbsp butter. Add seasoned chicken and sauté until golden brown and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 4 tbsp butter and minced garlic to the same skillet. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
05 - Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, red pepper flakes, parsley, chives, thyme, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently to combine.
06 - Return chicken to the skillet, add cooked pasta, and toss thoroughly to coat everything in the cowboy butter sauce. Heat through for 2-3 minutes.
07 - Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes as needed.
08 - Serve immediately, topped with fresh parsley and accompanied by lemon wedges.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce does something magical where richness meets brightness and you suddenly understand why restaurants charge so much for pasta
- Low-carb pasta has come such a long way that nobody at my table ever notices the difference anymore
- This is one of those meals where the cleanup somehow matches the effort level which is to say minimal
02 -
- Low-carb pasta varies wildly between brands, so cook times and textures will differ, but most need to be drained well so they don't water down your sauce
- The sauce will look thin at first but thickens as it coats the pasta and cools slightly, so don't panic if it seems too loose in the pan
- Leftovers reheat surprisingly well, though the pasta absorbs more sauce overnight so you might want to add a splash of water or lemon when warming it up
03 -
- Pat your chicken pieces completely dry before seasoning them, otherwise they'll steam instead of sear and you'll miss that golden exterior
- Zest your lemon before juicing it, because trying to zest a juiced lemon is frustrating and yields less of those fragrant oils