This Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta is a bold and creamy copycat dish that rivals the famous Cheesecake Factory favorite. Tender bites of chicken are glazed in honey and chipotle, then tossed with penne, crisp vegetables, and a rich, spicy cream sauce.
With a perfect balance of sweet heat, savory parmesan, and fresh veggies like asparagus and peppers, this indulgent pasta is perfect for when you want a restaurant-quality meal at home.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: A complex mix of sweet honey, smoky chipotle heat, and savory garlic, mellowed by a luxurious parmesan cream sauce.
- Texture: Al dente penne pasta is coated in a velvety sauce, studded with juicy chicken chunks and tender-crisp vegetables like asparagus and peppers.
- Time: 15 minutes prep, 25 minutes cook time.
- Difficulty: Intermediate. It involves managing a few different components (pasta, blanching veggies, searing chicken) but comes together in one pan at the end.
What You’ll Need
To make this recipe, you will need a large pot for boiling the pasta and asparagus, and a large skillet to cook the chicken and build the sauce. A colander is needed for draining and shocking the vegetables. The ingredients combine fresh produce with pantry staples like honey, heavy cream, and canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken Breast – Boneless skinless breasts cut into chunks are marinated briefly in lemon juice to tenderize them before searing.
- Chipotle Pepper Sauce – You will need the adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers. This provides the signature smoky heat. You can freeze the leftover peppers for later use.
- Honey – This adds a crucial sweetness that balances the spicy chipotle and glazes the chicken beautifully.
- Heavy Cream – Essential for the rich, velvety sauce base.
- Asparagus – Use thin stalks if possible. Blanching them in the pasta water keeps them bright green and tender-crisp.
- Bell Peppers & Onion – A mix of red and yellow peppers plus onion adds sweetness, crunch, and color.
- Parmesan Cheese – Use shredded parmesan to thicken the cream sauce and add a salty, nutty finish.
- Penne Pasta – The tube shape holds the thick sauce perfectly.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Spice Level – If you love heat, chop up one of the actual chipotle peppers and add it to the sauce. If you prefer mild, reduce the adobo sauce amount.
- Vegetables – Mushrooms or zucchini can be sautéed with the peppers for extra variety.
- Garnish – Crispy tortilla strips and fresh cilantro are the traditional garnishes that add texture and freshness.
How to Make Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta
- Prep Pasta & Asparagus: Set a large pot of water to boil. Add the asparagus to the boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes or until tender-crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and shock it with cold water through a colander to stop the cooking. Add the pasta to the same boiling water and cook to a minute shy of the package directions (al dente). Drain the pasta into the same bowl as the asparagus (don’t rinse the pasta).
- Marinate Chicken: In a bowl, toss the chicken chunks with the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Let it sit while you cook the vegetables.
- Sauté Veggies: In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped bell peppers and onions. Cook until just translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook an extra minute until fragrant. Remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside.
- Cook Chicken: Add the olive oil to the now-empty skillet and turn the heat up to medium-high. Add the chicken pieces and brown on both sides, cooking for about 2-3 minutes per side until cooked through. Add the honey and stir, cooking for an additional 5 seconds to glaze the meat.
- Build Sauce: Add the cooked bell pepper mixture back to the pan with the chicken. Stir well, then add in the adobo sauce, heavy cream, and shredded Parmesan cheese. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the cheese melts and the sauce thickens slightly.
- Combine: Add the cooked pasta, blanched asparagus, and frozen green peas to the skillet. Stir gently to coat everything in the sauce and heat the peas through.
- Serve: Serve hot, garnished with fresh cilantro and crispy tortilla strips if desired.
Pro Tip: Blanching the asparagus in the pasta water saves time and a pot! Just make sure to fish it out before adding the pasta so you don’t overcook the delicate stalks.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t Rinse Pasta: Unlike the asparagus, you do not want to rinse the pasta. The starch on the noodles helps the creamy sauce cling to them.
- Honey Glaze: When adding the honey to the hot pan with the chicken, watch it closely. It will bubble and caramelize very quickly, adding a great depth of flavor, but it can burn if left too long.
- Sauce Thickness: The sauce will thicken as it stands and cools. If it becomes too thick while tossing, a splash of hot water or milk will loosen it up instantly.
FAQs
- Is this very spicy? It has a moderate kick. The honey and cream do a great job of mellowing out the chipotle heat, making it palatable for most people who enjoy a little spice.
- Can I use rotisserie chicken? Yes, you can skip the searing step. Sauté the veggies, build the sauce, and then stir in cubed rotisserie chicken at the end just to warm it up.
- 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 revive the creamy sauce.
Serving Suggestions
- Garlic Bread: A slice of crusty bread is essential for mopping up every drop of that spicy cream sauce.
- Salad: A simple green salad with vinaigrette helps cut through the richness of the pasta.
- Drink: An ice-cold lemonade or a crisp white wine pairs perfectly with the spicy and sweet notes.
Make This Recipe in Advance
- Prep: You can chop all the vegetables and cut the chicken in advance. Store them in the fridge.
- Sauce: Cream sauces are best made fresh, but you can blanch the asparagus ahead of time to speed up the cooking process.
Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 Servings 1x
Description
This Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta is a bold and creamy copycat dish that rivals the famous Cheesecake Factory favorite. Tender bites of chicken are glazed in honey and chipotle, then tossed with penne, crisp vegetables, and a rich, spicy cream sauce. With a perfect balance of sweet heat, savory Parmesan, and fresh veggies like asparagus and peppers, this indulgent pasta is perfect for when you want a restaurant-quality meal at home.
Ingredients
The Chicken & Pasta
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 pound Penne pasta
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (for marinade)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (for searing)
The Sauce & Vegetables
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound fresh asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces (use thin stalks)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons chipotle pepper sauce (from a can of chipotles in adobo)
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 6 ounces Parmesan cheese, shredded
Optional Garnish
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Crispy tortilla strips
Instructions
Prep Pasta & Asparagus
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the asparagus pieces and cook for 2–3 minutes until tender-crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and shock in cold water to stop cooking. Tip: Keep the water boiling! Add the penne pasta to the same pot and cook until al dente. Drain (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 vegetables.
Sauté Veggies
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped bell peppers and onions. Cook until softened (4–5 minutes). Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Remove veggies from the pan and set aside.
Glaze Chicken
Add the olive oil to the now-empty skillet on medium-high heat. Add the chicken and brown on both sides (about 2–3 minutes per side) until cooked through. Stir in the honey and cook for 5–10 seconds to glaze the meat.
Build Sauce
Return the cooked bell pepper mixture to the pan with the chicken. Stir in the adobo sauce, heavy cream, and shredded Parmesan cheese. Simmer for 3–4 minutes until the cheese melts and the sauce thickens.
Combine
Add the cooked pasta, blanched asparagus, and frozen peas to the skillet. Toss gently to coat everything in the sauce and warm the peas through.
Serve
Serve hot, garnished with fresh cilantro and crispy tortilla strips.
Notes
Blanching Hack: Blanching the asparagus in the pasta water saves time and a dirty pot. Just remember to fish it out before adding the pasta so you don’t boil it to mush.
Honey Watch: When adding honey to the hot pan in step 4, watch it closely. It caramelizes instantly, which adds great flavor, but it can burn if left for more than a few seconds.
Spice Level: This has a medium kick. The honey and cream mellow out the spice significantly. For more heat, finely chop one of the actual chipotle peppers from the can and add it to the sauce.
Sauce Consistency: The sauce thickens as it cools. If it gets too thick while tossing, splash in a little hot water or milk to loosen it up.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop / One-Pan Finish
- Cuisine: American-Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Serving (approx. 1/6 of recipe)
- Calories: 850
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 42g
- Saturated Fat: 22g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 82g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 145mg
Keywords: spicy chicken chipotle pasta, cheesecake factory copycat, honey chipotle chicken, creamy pasta recipes, asparagus pasta, restaurant copycat recipes, spicy cream sauce
