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If you’re craving something creamy with a little kick, this spicy chicken chipotle pasta is exactly what you need. The combination of sautéed vegetables, tender chicken, and smoky chipotle sauce creates layers of flavor in every bite.
For more satisfying pasta dishes, try this indulgent Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta or my light and bright Summer Pasta Salad.
Why you’ll love this chicken chipotle pasta recipe!
Spicy chicken chipotle pasta is one of my favorite weeknight meals for many reasons. First, it is a complete meal in a bowl. There are vegetables, protein, and hearty pasta all packed into one perfect dish. Then, the zesty sauce coats everything in the bowl, adding tons of bold flavor to every single bite.
Lastly, this chipotle pasta is surprisingly easy to make. It looks and tastes as good as anything you would get in a restaurant. However, it takes less than thirty minutes from start to finish. Dinner recipes don’t get any better than that!
- Bold, Creamy Flavor: The smoky chipotle sauce combined with parmesan and cream creates a rich, restaurant-quality taste.
- Quick Weeknight Dinner: Ready in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy nights.
- Perfect Balance of Sweet and Spicy: A touch of honey mellows the heat for a well-rounded flavor everyone will love.
- Loaded with Veggies: Bell peppers, onions, and asparagus add color, texture, and freshness.
- Customizable: Easily adjust the spice level, swap proteins, or lighten it up to fit your preferences.
(Love an easy pasta dinner recipe? Try my Creamy Tomato Pasta and Buffalo Chicken Casserole with Pasta next!)
Table of Contents
Ingredient Notes
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Penne pasta – Any type of short pasta noodles will work well. Rotini, elbows, and mini shells are all great options for this chipotle pasta recipe.
- Bell peppers – I use red and orange bell peppers, which add a nice, bright color to the pasta. Red and orange peppers are sweeter than green peppers and not too spicy. This balances the flavor of the dish well.
- Asparagus – Fresh asparagus gives the pasta a bold, earthy flavor.
- Onion and garlic – These build flavor in the dish.
- Chicken breast – Boneless, skinless chicken breast is best, or use rotisserie chicken. Cut the chicken breast into pieces one inch or smaller, making them bite-sized and perfect to pop in your mouth along with a few noodles.
- Honey – Natural honey adds a touch of sweetness to balance out the spice in the sauce. It might be an unexpected ingredient, but it really brings balance to the recipe. Honey chipotle chicken pasta is amazing!
- Tabasco chipotle sauce – Tabasco chipotle sauce has some serious smokey heat. Any brand of chipotle sauce will work in this recipe though. So, use your favorite!
- Heavy cream – For a rich, creamy sauce.
- Parmesan cheese – Use freshly grated parmesan cheese, which will melt beautifully into the sauce.
- Chopped cilantro – Not a fan? You can skip it or use parsley instead.
Variations
- Replace the heavy cream with whole milk to cut back on calories. The sauce will still be creamy and delicious!
- Skip the honey to make a less sweet, purely spicy sauce.
- Use a mix of cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese.
- Use olive oil in place of butter to sauté the veggies and chicken.
- Add a cup of cooked, crumbled oven-cooked bacon to make a chipotle chicken bacon pasta.
How to Make Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta
- Cook the veggies: Sauté the peppers, asparagus, and onions in a large skillet, cooking them until they are soft. Once the vegetables are cooked, remove them from the pan, and set them aside.
- Sauté the chicken: Add the chicken to the pan that the veggies were cooked in. Cooking in the same pan will add flavor to the chicken as it cooks. Sauté the chicken for 10 minutes or until it is evenly browned and no longer pink in the center. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning the chicken is safe to eat.
- Make the sauce: Make the chipotle cream sauce by adding some honey to the pan with the chicken. Add the veggies back to the skillet. Then, stir in the chipotle sauce, heavy cream, and parmesan. Mix everything well, and bring the sauce to a boil.
- Add the pasta: Toss the cooked pasta into the skillet of veggies, chicken, and sauce. Mix to combine. Then, divide the dish between bowls and enjoy. Your healthy chipotle chicken pasta is served!
Serving Suggestions
This chicken pasta recipe is a complete meal in one bowl. However, it goes well with easy homemade biscuits and French bread for soaking up the extra sauce!
How to Store Leftovers
If you have leftover spicy chicken pasta, you can store it in an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days. Reheat the chipotle chicken pasta in the microwave, heating it in 30-second increments until it is hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chipotle peppers are very hot and spicy. That means this chicken pasta recipe is pretty spicy, too. Chipotles do have a subtle sweetness and a smokey taste as well. It is definitely a flavorful pepper.
This chicken chipotle pasta recipe has lots of nutritious veggies in each serving. However, it does have a lot of cheese and heavy cream, which add calories. While this dish isn’t necessarily the healthiest pasta recipe, it is worth every calorie!
Ancho chilies are a good substitute for chipotle peppers. They have a smokey taste just like chipotle peppers, but with a little less heat. If you can find an adobo hot sauce, it would be perfect in this spicy chicken pasta recipe.
Yes! It’s a great time-saving option—just add it when making the sauce.
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Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta
Equipment
- 1 Large pot
- 1 large skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne pasta
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 orange bell pepper, sliced
- 1 pound asparagus, chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 pound chicken breast, cut into cubes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 Tablespoons Tabasco chipotle sauce
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook your pasta one minute less than the package directions. You want it to be a little firm. Drain the pasta and set aside.1 pound penne pasta
- Add the butter to a large skillet and melt over medium-high heat.4 Tablespoons butter
- Add the sliced peppers, chopped asparagus, and onions to the skillet and cook for about 8 minutes to soften the veggies. Be sure to stir the mix occasionally so the veggies cook evenly.1 red bell pepper, sliced, 1 orange bell pepper, sliced, 1 pound asparagus, chopped, 1/2 cup chopped onion
- Add the garlic to the skillet and cook for another minute.1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- Remove the veggies from the skillet and set aside.
- Add the chopped chicken to the pan that the veggies were cooked in and sprinkle it with the salt and pepper. Cook the chicken for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to cook all sides of the chicken. You want the outside of the chicken pieces to be nice and brown.1 pound chicken breast, cut into cubes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Add the honey to the skillet and stir it into the chicken. Add the cooked veggies back to the skillet and mix.1/4 cup honey
- Stir in the chipotle sauce, heavy cream, and parmesan. Bring the sauce to a simmer and then cook for 2 minutes.2 Tablespoons Tabasco chipotle sauce, 2 cups heavy cream, 1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese
- Add the pasta to the skillet and toss it in the sauce and veggies. Cook the mix for another 1-2 minutes then divide between bowls. Sprinkle each bowl with some chopped cilantro and then enjoy!1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Banging!!
I made this meal last night for me and my husband.
Both of us kept saying how nice it was while we were eating it!
I couldn’t find Penne pasta so I substituted it with Rigatoni and it was awesome.
I also love the fact that all through the recipe steps, it tells you the amount of the ingredients instead of having to scroll back up, Brilliant! 😃