This Creamy Honey Chipotle Chicken Pasta is a copycat recipe that rivals the popular dish from The Cheesecake Factory. It features tender chunks of chicken glazed in honey, colorful crisp vegetables, and a luscious cream sauce infused with smoky chipotle peppers.
With a perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and savory flavors, this pasta dish is an indulgent weeknight dinner that feels like a special occasion meal.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: A complex mix of spicy chipotle heat and floral honey sweetness, mellowed by a rich parmesan cream sauce and savory garlic.
- Texture: Tender chicken bites and smooth pasta are coated in a velvety sauce, with a nice crunch from the bell peppers and asparagus.
- Time: 15 minutes prep, 25 minutes cook time.
- Difficulty: Intermediate. It involves blanching vegetables and managing a few steps in the skillet, but it is all done in one pan after the pasta is boiled.
What You’ll Need
To make this recipe, you will need a large pot to boil the pasta and blanch the asparagus. A large skillet is essential for searing the chicken and building the cream sauce. You will also need a colander for shocking the vegetables and draining the pasta. The ingredients rely on fresh colorful produce, heavy cream, and the key flavor driver: canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken Breast – Boneless skinless breasts cut into 1-inch chunks cook quickly and stay tender. They are briefly marinated in lemon juice before cooking.
- Chipotle Pepper Sauce – You need the sauce from a can of adobo peppers, not the peppers themselves. This provides the smoky heat.
- Honey – This adds the signature sweetness that balances the spice and glazes the chicken.
- Heavy Cream – Essential for the rich, coating consistency of the sauce.
- Asparagus – Look for thinner stalks if possible. Blanching them in the pasta water ensures they are perfectly cooked and bright green.
- Bell Peppers and Onion – A mix of red and yellow peppers plus onion adds sweetness and crunch.
- Parmesan Cheese – Shredded parmesan thickens the sauce and adds a salty, nutty finish.
- Pasta – Penne is used here, as its tube shape holds the thick sauce well.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Spice Level – If you prefer less heat, reduce the amount of adobo sauce. If you like it spicier, you can mince one of the chipotle peppers and add it to the sauce.
- Vegetables – You can swap the asparagus for green beans or broccoli florets, following the same blanching method.
- Garnish – Crispy tortilla strips and cilantro are the traditional garnishes that add texture and freshness.
How to Make Creamy Honey Chipotle Chicken Pasta
- Blanch Asparagus: Set your water to boil for your pasta. Add the asparagus to the pasta water and boil for 2-3 minutes or until tender crisp. Shock it with cold water through a colander to stop the cooking process.
- Cook Pasta: Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook to a minute shy of the directions, then drain into the same bowl as the asparagus but don’t rinse.
- Marinate Chicken: In a bowl with your chicken add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper and let sit as you cook the rest of the dish.
- Sauté Veggies: In a large skillet add the butter and melt over medium heat. Add the bell peppers and onions and cook until just translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook an extra minute. Remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside.
- Cook Chicken: Add in the olive oil to the skillet. Add the chicken to the pan and turn the heat up to medium-high. Brown the chicken on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per each side.
- Glaze: Add in the honey and stir, cooking an additional 5 seconds to glaze the meat.
- Make Sauce: Add the bell pepper mixture back to the pan. Stir well, then add in the adobo sauce, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Combine: Add in the pasta, asparagus, and frozen green peas. Stir to coat everything and heat the peas through.
- Serve: Serve with any garnishes you’d like (Cheesecake Factory uses tortilla strip chips and cilantro).
Pro Tip: Be careful when adding the honey to the hot pan with the chicken. It bubbles up and caramelizes very quickly. You only need a few seconds to coat the chicken before adding the other ingredients to prevent burning.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t Rinse Pasta: Unlike the asparagus, do not rinse the pasta. The starch helps the creamy sauce cling to the noodles.
- Shocking Asparagus: Using ice cold water to shock the asparagus preserves its bright green color and crisp texture so it doesn’t get mushy in the sauce.
- Adobo Sauce: Use a spoon to scoop just the sauce from the can of chipotle peppers. If you accidentally get seeds or skins, the dish will be significantly spicier.
FAQs
- Is this dish very spicy? It has a medium kick. The heavy cream and honey do a great job of mellowing out the heat, but chipotle peppers are naturally spicy.
- Can I use chicken thighs? Yes, boneless skinless chicken thighs work great and stay very moist.
- How do I store leftovers? Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
Serving Suggestions
- Bread: Serve with garlic bread to soak up the extra sauce.
- Salad: A fresh green salad with vinaigrette helps cut through the richness of the cream sauce.
- Garnish: Don’t skip the lime or cilantro if you have them; the acid and herbs brighten up the heavy dish.
Make This Recipe in Advance
- Prep: You can chop all the vegetables and cut the chicken in advance. Store them in the fridge until ready to cook.
- Vegetables: You can blanch the asparagus ahead of time and keep it in the fridge to save a step during cooking.
Creamy Honey Chipotle Chicken Pasta
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 Servings 1x
Description
This Creamy Honey Chipotle Chicken Pasta is a copycat recipe that rivals the popular dish from The Cheesecake Factory. It features tender chunks of chicken glazed in honey, colorful crisp vegetables, and a luscious cream sauce infused with smoky chipotle peppers. With a perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and savory flavors, this pasta dish is an indulgent weeknight dinner that feels like a special occasion meal.
Ingredients
The Chicken & Marinade
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup honey (for glazing)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (for searing)
The Pasta & Vegetables
- 1 pound Penne pasta
- 1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces (thinner stalks work best)
- 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 tablespoons butter (for sautéing)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
The Creamy Chipotle Sauce
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons chipotle pepper sauce (from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo)
- 6 ounces Parmesan cheese, shredded
Optional Garnish
- Chopped cilantro, tortilla strips
Instructions
Blanch Asparagus
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus pieces and boil for 2–3 minutes until tender-crisp.
Shock
Remove asparagus with a slotted spoon and immediately rinse under cold water (or place in an ice bath) to stop cooking. Set aside. Keep the water boiling.
Cook Pasta
Add the Penne to the boiling water. Cook until slightly less than al dente (a minute shy of package directions). Drain well (do not rinse).
Marinate Chicken
In a bowl, toss the chicken chunks with the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Let sit while you sauté the veggies.
Sauté Veggies
In a large deep skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the bell peppers and onions. Cook: Sauté for 4–5 minutes until just translucent. Stir in the minced garlic for 1 minute. Remove veggies from the pan and set aside.
Cook Chicken
Add the olive oil to the same skillet and increase heat to medium-high. Add the chicken. Sear: Brown on both sides, about 2–3 minutes per side, until nearly cooked through.
Glaze
Stir in the honey. Cook for just 5 seconds to coat and glaze the meat (watch closely so it doesn’t burn!).
Make Sauce
Add the cooked bell pepper mixture back to the pan. Stir in the adobo sauce, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese. Simmer: Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens slightly.
Combine
Stir in the cooked pasta, blanched asparagus, and frozen peas. Toss everything together until the pasta is coated and the peas are heated through.
Serve
Garnish with chopped cilantro and crispy tortilla strips for that authentic restaurant finish.
Notes
Adobo Sauce: This recipe uses the sauce from a can of “Chipotle Peppers in Adobo,” not the actual peppers. Just spoon out the liquid. If you want it spicier, you can mince one pepper and add it.
The Honey Step: Be careful when adding honey to the hot pan. It bubbles and caramelizes instantly. You want to coat the chicken quickly, then immediately move to the next step so it doesn’t scorch.
Shocking Veggies: Don’t skip rinsing the asparagus in cold water. This “shocking” process keeps them bright green and prevents them from turning into mush when added to the hot sauce later.
Cheese: Use freshly shredded Parmesan if possible. Pre-shredded bagged cheese often has anti-caking agents that can make the cream sauce grainy.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner / Pasta
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of Recipe
- Calories: 720
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 38g
- Saturated Fat: 20g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 65g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 135mg
Keywords: honey chipotle chicken pasta, cheesecake factory copycat, spicy chicken pasta, creamy pasta recipes, adobo sauce recipes, indulgent dinner, date night meal
