Cowboy Butter Chicken & Bacon Pasta

This Cowboy Butter Chicken & Bacon Pasta brings big flavour to your dinner table. Cowboy butter is a punchy, flavour-packed sauce loaded with garlic, fresh herbs, lemon and warming spices, smoked paprika and chilli flakes. Spiked with Dijon mustard and lemon juice to cut through the richness. It delivers a rich, smoky kick that perfectly complements the Finnebrogue Naked Smoked Bacon, which is made without nitrites and naturally full of flavour. We’re transforming the bacon into a moreish crumb that gets sprinkled on top of the chicken and also stirred through the creamy sauce for an irresistible finish. Tossed through gluten-free pasta, this dish is comforting, flexible and easy to make your own. Prefer a different pasta? Simply swap in your family favourite. For a fibre boost this recipe also works brilliantly with butter beans or chickpeas, which are both great options for supporting gut health while still soaking up all that delicious cowboy butter sauce

Start your shop...

Pick which supermarket you want to send your ingredients to:

Ingredients

gluten free fusilli 300 g
Finnebrogue smoked back bacon 4
onion 1 (chopped)
garlic cloves 4 (chopped)
flat leaf parsley 1 tbsp (chopped)
fresh chives 1 tbsp (chopped)
lemon ½ (zest & juice)
smoked paprika 2 tsp
chicken breast 4
butter 1 tbsp
chilli flakes ½ tsp
Dijon mustard 1 tsp
chicken stock cube 1
double cream 100 ml

Method

Cook the pasta

Cook the gluten free fusilli according to packet instructions (or you can use your preferred pasta). Reserve a mug of pasta cooking water for your sauce.

Make the bacon crumb

Heat the grill to high. Cook the Finnebrogue Naked Smoked Bacon for 4 minutes each side, until crispy.
When cool enough to handle, chop it into a fine crumb. If you prefer (it will still be delicious!) you can roughly chop the bacon, it’s up to you.

Prep the ingredients

While the bacon is cooking, prep the rest of the ingredients. Chop the onion, garlic cloves, flat leaf parsley and fresh chives. Zest and juice the lemon.

Cook the chicken

Sprinkle half the smoked paprika onto the chicken breasts, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with a dash of oil.
Heat a dash of oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the chicken breasts and cook for 7 - 8 minutes on each side, until golden and cooked through (depending on the size and thickness of them you might need to cook for longer). Transfer from the pan.

Cook the cowboy butter base

Add the butter to the pan you cooked the chicken in - all the lovely cooking juices are going to add great flavour. Melt the butter and add the onion and cook for 5 minutes.
Stir in the garlic, reserved smoked paprika and chilli flakes, cook for 2 minutes, until the raw garlic smell goes.
Make up the chicken stock cube with 300ml boiling water.
Stir in the Dijon mustard, chicken stock and double cream. Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened, adding the reserved pasta cooking water if needed.
Add the lemon zest and juice, flat leaf parsley and chives, adding more lemon juice to taste.
Tip the cooked pasta into the pan, along with a couple of tablespoons of the bacon crumb and mix well.

Finish & Plate Up

Slice the chicken, then add it on top of the pasta. Pop a lid on top and cook for another 3 minutes, or until the chicken is warmed through.
Finish by scattering over the rest of the bacon crumb on the chicken. Plate up into bowls and enjoy!

More recipes like this...