Description
This Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta is a vibrant and flavorful dish combining tender chicken, smoky chipotle spices, tender asparagus, and a creamy chipotle sauce loaded with sharp cheddar and Parmesan cheeses. Perfectly cooked penne pasta is tossed with sautéed bell peppers, onions, and a hint of lime for brightness. The dish offers a delicious balance of smoky heat, creamy texture, and fresh vegetable crunch, making it an impressive yet approachable meal for weeknight dinners or entertaining.
Ingredients
Scale
Spice Mix
- 1 ½ teaspoon chipotle chili pepper, chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Chicken
- 2 medium chicken breasts, pounded to tenderize and chopped into bite-size pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Pasta & Vegetables
- 1 cup asparagus, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound penne pasta
Creamy Chipotle Sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 bell peppers (red, yellow, and/or orange), thinly sliced
- 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups half and half (or milk whisked with 1 tablespoon cornstarch, or evaporated milk mixed with 2 teaspoons cornstarch)
- 1 ½ teaspoons chicken bouillon (granulated, crushed cubes, or base)
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup frozen petite peas (do not thaw)
Optional Garnishes
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley or cilantro
- Lime juice
Instructions
- Boil Pasta Water and Prep Ingredients: Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Meanwhile, prepare your spice mix and chop all veggies and chicken pieces.
- Make Spice Mix: In a small bowl, whisk all the spices together. Remove 1 ½ tablespoons of this mixture to season the chicken. Keep the remaining spices for the sauce later.
- Season Chicken: Pat the chopped chicken dry with paper towels. Toss the chicken with the reserved 1 ½ tablespoons of spice mix until well coated but do not cook yet.
- Cook Asparagus: Have a large bowl of ice water ready with a colander inside it. Add the asparagus to the boiling salted water and cook for 2-3 minutes until tender-crisp. Transfer asparagus quickly to the ice bath to stop cooking and maintain color. Drain and set aside.
- Cook Pasta: In the same boiling water, cook penne pasta until just al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta and rinse lightly. Toss pasta with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking and set aside.
- Sear Chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a cast iron braiser or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until smoking. Add chicken in a single layer and sear for 2-3 minutes on one side, then flip and cook another 2-3 minutes until cooked through. Stir in honey and lime juice, coating the chicken with the glaze. Transfer the glazed chicken to a plate. Wipe the pan clean to prevent honey from burning.
- Sauté Onions and Peppers: In the empty pan, melt butter with olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté for 4 minutes until softened. Add bell peppers and the remaining spice mix, cooking for 2 more minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Create Sauce Base: Sprinkle flour over the veggies and cook for 1 minute to eliminate raw flour taste. Reduce heat to low, slowly whisk in chicken broth, then half and half. Add chicken bouillon and oregano. Increase heat to medium-high and simmer gently, stirring frequently until the sauce thickens.
- Add Cheeses: Reduce heat to low. In batches, stir in shredded cheddar cheese until melted followed by Parmesan cheese, continuing to cook 1-2 minutes more on low heat to fully melt and integrate the cheeses into the sauce.
- Combine and Finish: Stir in lime juice, cooked chicken, asparagus, and frozen peas. Add the cooked pasta and gently toss everything together. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and extra chipotle chili powder if desired. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water a little at a time until reaching your preferred consistency. Garnish with extra Parmesan, fresh parsley or cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice if desired.
Notes
- Make sure to not overcook the asparagus; blanching and shocking in ice water keeps it crisp and vibrant.
- Using half and half yields a creamy sauce, but you can substitute with milk and cornstarch or evaporated milk and cornstarch for a lighter option.
- Adjust chipotle chili powder amount to your heat preference; start with less if sensitive to spice.
- Wiping the pan clean after cooking the chicken prevents residual honey from burning and imparting bitter notes to the sauce.
- Reserve pasta water is useful for thinning the sauce without diluting flavor.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute butter and cheeses with plant-based alternatives, and use a dairy-free milk thickened with cornstarch.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1/6 of recipe)
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 36 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
