Description
Creamy Cowboy Butter Chicken is a rich, flavorful skillet meal that combines juicy pan-seared chicken with a buttery, garlicky sauce infused with smoked paprika, herbs, and cream. It’s a comforting dinner that’s quick enough for weeknights but bold enough to impress.
Ingredients
1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
¾ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
1. Season the chicken on both sides with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
2. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add a small amount of oil.
3. Sear the chicken for 4–5 minutes per side until golden and nearly cooked through. Remove and set aside.
4. In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium and add the butter.
5. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes; cook until fragrant (about 1 minute).
6. Whisk in the heavy cream and lemon juice, stirring constantly until smooth.
7. Add parsley to the sauce, then return the chicken to the skillet.
8. Let it simmer for 5–7 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and coated in the creamy sauce.
9. Spoon sauce over the top and garnish with extra parsley before serving.
Notes
For best flavor, let the chicken rest in the seasoning for 10 minutes before cooking.
Heavy cream can be swapped with half-and-half, but the sauce will be slightly thinner.
Don’t rush the simmer—let the sauce thicken and infuse fully before serving.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion (¼ recipe)
- Calories: 460
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 34g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 3g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 165mg