If you love the bold flavors of Cheesecake Factory’s Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta, this easy homemade version is a must-try! It features tender honey-glazed chicken, smoky chipotle cream sauce, and colorful veggies like asparagus, bell peppers, and peas. The best part? It all comes together in one pot, making cleanup a breeze.
The menu and Cheesecake Factory website make it very clear the meal contains honey glazed chicken, penne pasta, a creamy chipotle sauce, and fresh veggies. And that’s exactly what you have here. This spicy chipotle chicken pasta is a delicious recreation of the restaurant classic!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One-Pot Meal – Everything cooks in a single pan for easy cleanup.
- Creamy & Spicy – The chipotle parmesan sauce is perfectly balanced with heat and richness.
- Loaded with Vegetables – Asparagus, peppers, and peas add fresh flavor and texture.
- Easy to Customize – Adjust the spice level, swap out veggies, or make it dairy-free.
- Great for Leftovers – The flavors get even better the next day!
Love easy pasta recipes? Try cajun sausage pasta or garlic parmesan chicken pasta next.
Ingredient You Need
Here’s what you’ll need for this creamy, spicy pasta, and a few notes about some of them.
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
- Olive oil: For cooking the chicken and veggies
- Honey: Glazes the chicken with a touch of sweetness
- Yellow onion & Bell peppers: A flavorful veggie base
- Penne pasta: Short pasta that holds the creamy sauce well
- Chipotle in adobo sauce: For the signature smoky, spicy taste
- Heavy cream: Makes the sauce rich and velvety
- Parmesan cheese: Thickens the sauce and adds nuttiness
- Frozen peas & Asparagus: Bring freshness and color
- Chipotle powder: For an extra spicy kick
- Cilantro & Tortilla strips: Optional toppings for crunch and freshness
How to Make Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta
🔥Step 1. Sear the Chicken. Add diced chicken to a large skillet with olive oil and sear for 2-3 minutes per side. Drizzle in the honey and toss to coat and caramelize.
🍝 Step 2. Cook the Pasta. Saute the onion and peppers. Pour uncooked penne pasta and chicken broth, cover, and simmer for 6-7 minutes.
🥦 Step 3. Steam the Asparagus & Peas. Stir in chipotle adobo sauce, chipotle powder, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese to make the parmesan cream sauce. Without stirring, add chopped asparagus and frozen peas on top of the pasta. Cover the pan and steam for 3-4 minutes until the asparagus is tender.
🍗 Step 4. Add the Chicken & Serve. Return the glazed chicken to the pan and toss everything together. Remove from heat and garnish with chopped cilantro and crunchy tortilla strips.
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Adjust the Spice: Add more or less chipotle adobo sauce depending on your heat preference.
- Make it Dairy-Free: Swap heavy cream for coconut cream and use nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan.
- Use Different Veggies: Try broccoli, zucchini, or mushrooms instead of asparagus.
- Swap the Pasta: Use gluten-free pasta, whole wheat pasta, or even rice for a different twist.
If you love this Cheesecake Factory copycat, you’ll love creamy chicken sausage pasta, creamy cajun chicken pasta, and chicken bacon ranch pasta.
Try These Other Creamy Pasta Recipes
Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta (Cheesecake Factory Copycat)
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Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 Tablespoons honey
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter or more olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 12 ounces penne pasta
- 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 2 Tablespoons chipotle pepper sauce from canned adobo peppers
- 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 3/4 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 lb asparagus woody ends removed and cut into 2-3 inch pieces
- Cilantro, lemon juice, and tortilla tortilla strips to garnish
Instructions
- Dice the chicken and season generously with kosher salt. Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet pan over medium heat. Add the chicken chunks and stir to sear the sides until golden brown.2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Turn the heat down to medium low and add the the honey, coating the chicken to create a glaze. When the chicken is completely cooked, remove it to a separate plate or bowl.3 Tablespoons honey
- Add the butter to the pan and scrape any bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the onion and diced peppers and cook over medium heat until softened and fragrant. Add the garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.1 small yellow onion, 1 red bell pepper, 1 yellow bell pepper, 2 cloves garlic, 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- Pour the uncooked pasta and chicken broth into the pan and stir gently. Cover with a lid and turn the heat up to medium-high to bring to a boil then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 6-7 minutes or until the pasta is just al dente. Open the lid and stir occasionally to avoid any burning on the bottom of the pan.12 ounces penne pasta, 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
- Stir in the chipotle adobo sauce, chipotle powder, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese until combined.2 Tablespoons chipotle pepper sauce, 2 cups heavy cream, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
- Top the pasta with the peas and chopped asparagus on top, and without stirring, close the lid and steam for 3-4 minutes, until the asparagus is tender. Stir in the cooked chicken. Top with cilantro and crushed tortilla chips to garnish.3/4 cup frozen peas, 1/2 lb asparagus
Notes
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe by: Molly Thompson of What Molly Made | Photography by: Kate Poskochil
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This was SO good, just like at Cheesecake Factory only fresher. The only subs I did was to use shredded cheddar because I was out of parm and I added some chopped snap peas because I needed to use them up. I might have used too much chipotle because it was super spicy but my husband loves spice so it’s all good. Thank you for the recipe!
Thanks Sarah! Glad you liked it!
I found this recipe as written to be incredibly bland. If you want any flavor at all I would recommend doubling or tripling the amount of adobo sauce and/or including the chipotle peppers. Also noted that chipotle powder is left out of written recipe.
Thanks, Hannah! Appreciate your feedback. Adobo can be spicy for some so you can definitely add more to taste.
I think my previous comment didn’t register the rating so just in case I though I’d try it again.
I made this yesterday and I gotta say it’s incredibly close to the “real” thing. I really wish I could post pictures cause the whole process was full of mouthwatering food preparation pictures.
As for the spiciness of the dish it’s incredibly simple to dial it in to your preference. It all comes down to the chipotle pepper adobo sauce. I used just over 2 tablespoons of just the sauce and I think it came out a bit less spicy than at cheesecake factory where they likely use the sauce and the peppers rather than let the peppers go to waste. So next time I plan on using either 2 tablespoons with some peppers or more than 2 tablespoons if I don’t use any of the peppers. I’m not a huge spice fan but I love it in this dish and my wife eats ghost pepper flavored everything like it’s just as mild as a saltine so a bit more spiciness would suite us.
I also noticed that there is a 1/4 tsp of chipotle powder in the ingredients list but it seems to have been left out of the directions so I put it in with the chicken broth and noodles.
I’ve wanted to make this recipe at home for a long time and I’m so glad I finally did! That honey glazed chicken is so good I plan on using it in other recipes. But be careful not to wait to long to add the honey cause as the honey cooks down and caramelizes the chicken will still cook. It’s obvious but still tricky to execute just right. It can be tricky getting a sear fast enough. Remember you can’t add the honey before you get a good sear and the honey takes time to cook down. So it’s a delicate balance but certainly worth the effort!
Anyways this recipe gets 5 stars from me! Did I mention it makes a ton!? Best leftovers ever!