Name: Spicy Chicken Pasta Recipe
Prep time: 7 min
Cook time: 33 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 4 ounces pasta noodles (fettuccine, linguine or spaghetti); ½ pound boneless skinless chicken breasts; 1 ½ tablespoons taco seasoning (or to taste; for the chicken); 4 tablespoons unsalted butter; 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour; ½ teaspoon chipotle paste; salt (to taste); ½ teaspoon chipotle powder; 1 cup half and half; 2 ounces pepper jack cheese (shredded off the block)

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Our spicy chicken pasta recipe features seasoned grilled chicken breast sitting on top of a bed of pasta that’s been tossed in a creamy chipotle sauce.

The spicy chicken pasta in a bowl garnished with parsley.

This recipe was originally published in November of 2016. We marketed it as a chipotle chicken dish. Turns out, there a lot of chipotle chicken pasta recipes out there, believe me, I checked.

However, most of them are copycat dishes that are supposed to mimic a pasta dish served at popular cheesecake themed restaurant.

The problem was, our spicy chicken pasta had nothing to do with that other meal. So, we decided it was time to republish the post.

For today, we’ll be cooking my spicy chicken pasta.

How to Make Our Spicy Chicken Pasta Recipe:

First, cook the pasta until al dente, drain and set aside. Next, season the chicken (both sides) with your favorite taco seasonings.

Grill the chicken for 6-7 minutes on each side or until it has cooked completely. Set it aside to rest while you make the sauce.

Two large pieces of chicken breast grilling on a griddle.

After that, in a medium saucepan oven medium heat, melt the butter. Then, add the flour and whisk to combine.

Let the mixture cook for 2–3 minutes. You’re making a blonde roux. Remember the longer a roux cooks the darker it will become.

The flour and butter cooking in a large saute pan.

With that being said, the darker a roux gets, the less it works as a thickening agent. For example, a cream sauce like ours will be thicker than a gumbo.

Once the roux has cooked, toss in the chipotle paste, chipotle powder, and salt.

All of the seasonings have been added to the roux.

Now, carefully pour in the half and half and stir to ensure the spices mix evenly. Allow the mixture to began to steam but not boil.

Slowly add the shredded pepper jack cheese while whisking. Continue to whisk until all the cheese melts.

The chipotle cream sauce sitting in a large saute pan.

Do a taste test and add additional salt if needed. Last, toss the cooked pasta in the cream sauce to coat.

Place the pasta on a plate and top it with sliced chicken. That’s it, your spicy chicken pasta recipe is done!

Kim and I hope you enjoy the meal and wish you all the best 🙂

The pasta noodles being tossed in the chipotle cream sauce.

What can I add to chicken pasta?

Cooked Bell Peppers (green, red, yellow)
Sauteed Mushrooms
Sauteed Onions
Sun Dried Tomatoes
Green Chilies
Roasted Tomatoes
Roasted Garlic

A top-down view of the finished pasta in a large bowl.

Can I make this chicken pasta in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot?

Personally, I wouldn’t recommend it. I feel the chipotle sauce is way too delicate to survive in a pressure cooker.

If you are looking for a similar chicken pasta then try our pressure cooker chicken spaghetti.

It’s creamy, spicy, and you can always add chipotle powder or paste to the recipe.

A close up view of the spicy chicken pasta in a large bowl.

Why are the calories and fat so high in this recipe?

Well, without trying to sound sarcastic, what do you expect? The pasta dish uses butter, cheese, and half and half. Ingredients that are known for being, well, high in calories and fat.

With that being said, we are a household of 3 and the recipe made enough food to for all of us to eat our fill (more than one small serving each).

Between the heavy sauce and lean chicken, it’s a filling pasta dish that doesn’t require the full serving to fill you up, if eaten responsibly.