Cowboy Butter Chicken With Zucchini Noodles

I’ve been thinking about butter this morning.

I don’t know why, but an old meme popped into my head randomly a few hours ago. The one from Mean Girls…where Regina George asks, “is butter a carb?” and the next cut screen on the internet image shows Paula Deen with the caption, “butter is everything, b*tch.”

I completely connect spiritually with that meme. Butter is everything. Remember when fat was trying to be banished from this world and everyone had to have margarine? I can’t believe it’s not butter? Stuff like that?? Those were dark times in my world.

I’m surprised margarine is even being made anymore. I’ve heard all of those rumors about it being one molecule away from plastic…and how wild animals won’t even eat the stuff…and how it turns black if left out in the open for a while.

Ew. Give me butter or give me death!

I wanted a simple zucchini noodle dish to round out these last few days of Squash September, and stumbled upon this one on Pinterest. The cowboy butter portion really spoke to me. Not just butter, but better? Count me in.

I already love garlic butter, but this cowboy butter is something special. It’s got zesty lemon juice, tangy dijon mustard, and make-you-cry hot red pepper flakes. If anything could be better than straight melted butter, it’s this. The luscious brown sauce will perfectly coat the chicken and zucchini noodles and you’ll have yourself quite the extravagant meal.

There’s not much to it, either. You make it all in one pan (that’s where my trusty cast-iron skillet comes in) and it’s done in a cinch. The chicken is just lightly seasoned so the cowboy butter can really shine here.

If you haven’t invested in a spiralizer yet, do it! Mine has really been put to work these last few weeks. There’s really no other way to make zucchini noodles. I just hopped on Amazon a few years ago and spent $15 to get mine. It’s cheap and still works after many, many uses.

Enjoy!

Step-By-Step Instructions

Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Season chicken with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder. Add to skillet and cook for about 3-4 minutes, until no longer pink. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and stir. Cook for another 1-2 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet.

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in the same skillet. Add lemon juice & zest, mustard, hot sauce, thyme, and chicken broth.

Stir and let come to a simmer. Simmer for 1-2 minutes.

Stir in the zucchini noodles and toss for 2-3 minutes.

Push to the side and return chicken to skillet and remaining tablespoon of butter. Cook, untouched, for 3-4 minutes.