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    Home » Recipes » Dinner

    Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta (Copycat)

    Updated: June 20, 2022 | Published on: January 18, 2022 - Molly ThompsonLeave a Comment

    Dairy Free RecipesDF
    Gluten Free RecipesGF
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    Chipotle adds a spicy kick to an easy and healthy pasta dish. Learn how to make this copycat Cheesecake Factory Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta easily at home in one pot.

    a pot of copycat cheesecake factory spicy chicken chipotle pasta with fresh cilantro

    What Is Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta?

    The original recipe came from one our all time favorite restaurants, The Cheesecake Factory. It's a Penne pasta tossed in a spicy, creamy sauce with honey glazed chicken and fresh veggies including bell peppers, asparagus and peas.

    I wanted to take this somewhat complicated recipe and turn it into an easy weeknight dinner. You can make this entire recipe in ONE POT, without the need to cook and drain the pasta separately. I'm also sharing options to keep it gluten-free and dairy-free.

    Ingredient Notes

    The simple ingredients you need to make this Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta recipe include:

    • Olive oil or avocado oil: I love to use avocado oil because it can withstand high heat without, smoking but both are great options.
    • Chicken breast: trim them then cut them into 1-inch chunks.
    • Kosher salt: I always cook with kosher salt and finish dishes with sea salt.
    • Chipotle powder: level up the spice and chipotle flavor with a little ground seasoning.
    • Honey: grab a raw honey if possible!
    • Yellow onion: this is the start of the pasta and chipotle pepper sauce and starts to build the flavor.
    • Bell peppers: the original recipe uses 1 red bell pepper and 1 yellow bell pepper, but you can use any bell peppers you have on hand.
    • Garlic: fresh garlic makes all the difference!
    • Short cut pasta: We used a penne pasta like the restaurant version, however, any short cut pasta works.
    • Chicken broth: this adds to the sauce flavor and helps the pasta cook right in the pan.
    • Frozen peas: no need to thaw them before adding them to the pasta!
    • Chipotle Adobo peppers: we're using the sauce around the chipotle peppers, rather than the peppers themselves.
    • Coconut cream or heavy cream: I love to use coconut cream to keep it dairy free, but heavy cream is what the original calls for.
    • Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast: these ingredients are what make up the spicy chipotle parmesan cream sauce. It's rich and spicy at the same time! Use nutritional yeast if you want to keep it dairy free.
    • Asparagus: this ingredient adds to the medley of veggies featured in this recipe. Not many recipes have 3-5 veggies in one pot!
    ingredients for spicy chicken chipotle pasta recipe on a table

    How to Make Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta

    Cook the honey glazed chicken

    1. Dice the chicken and season generously with kosher salt. Heat 1 tablespoons of avocado oil or butter in a large skillet (make sure it's deep!) over medium heat. Once the oil is hot and rippling, add the chicken chunks and stir to sear the sides until golden brown. 
    2. Turn the heat down to medium low and add the the honey, coating the chicken and letting it glaze the chicken. When the chicken is completely cooked, remove it to a separate plate or bowl.
    seared golden brown chicken chunks in a skillet
    sear the chicken
    honey glazed chicken in a pan
    glaze it with honey

    Make the pasta and cream sauce

    1. Add the other tablespoon of avocado oil 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.
    2. 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.
    3. Open the lid and add the  chipotle adobo sauce, coconut cream (or heavy cream), and nutritional yeast (or parmesan cheese) and stir to combine. 
    uncooked pasta in spicy chicken chipotle pasta water
    add the uncooked pasta
    spicy chicken chipotle pasta cooked in one skillet with penne
    boil until al dente

    Steam the veggies

    1. Finish by adding the peas and chopped asparagus on top, without stirring. Close the lid and steam for 3-4 minutes until the asparagus is tender.
    2. Add the cooked chicken on top then remove from the heat. Garnish with cilantro and crushed tortilla strips. You can also top with cracked black pepper and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
    asparagus and peas on top of spicy chicken chipotle pasta
    steam the asparagus and peas
    mix the veggies
    honey chicken on top of spicy chicken chipotle pasta
    add the honey chicken

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    FAQs

    How many calories in Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta?

    One serving of the Cheesecake Factory version is over 1200 calories. This homemade version comes in at about half of that, just over 600 calories.

    Can you freeze it?

    I don't recommend freezing this recipe because the pasta and cream won't stand up well to freezing and being reheated.

    How spicy is it?

    I'm not a huge spice-lover and I could handle the heat level in this recipe. If you want to keep it really mild, omit the chipotle powder and use less chipotle sauce

    Expert tips

    • Let the oil get nice and hot then add the chicken and cook, without stirring for a few minutes to get it really golden and crispy.
    • Open the lid of the pasta to stir a few times while it's cooking so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
    • Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus with your hands rather than slicing.
    a bowl of spicy chicken chipotle pasta with tortilla strips and cilantro

    Meal Prep and Storage

    • To prep-ahead: This recipe is all made in one dish so cooking anything in advance is hard. Prep all of the ingredients in advance, like chopping the onion and peppers, dicing the chicken and cutting the celery. This will save a lot of time when you go to make it.
    • To store: allow the pasta to cool completely then place it in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
    • To reheat: add the pasta back to a large pot over medium heat and cook until heated through. You can also warm individual bowls in the microwave for a few minutes.

    Dietary Modifications

    • Gluten-free: use a gluten free penne pasta. Our favorite brand is Jovial because it holds up well without breaking.
    • Dairy free: swap the heavy cream for coconut cream and use nutritional yeast instead of parmesan cheese.
    • Less sodium: use a reduced sodium chicken broth and omit extra salt added in the recipe.
    a spoonful of creamy spicy chicken chipotle pasta

    More One Pot Pasta Recipes

    • One pot taco pasta
    • Lemon garlic and chicken asparagus pasta
    • Creamy one pot buffalo chicken pasta (dairy free)
    • One pot creamy cajun chicken pasta

    If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see it!

    a serving bowl filled with spicy chicken chipotle pasta

    Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta (Copycat)

    Chipotle adds a spicy kick to an easy and healthy pasta dish. Learn how to make this copycat Cheesecake Factory Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta easily at home in one pot.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dinner
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Servings: 6 people
    Calories: 614kcal
    Author: Molly Thompson
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    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoons avocado oil or butter divided
    • 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 3 tablespoons honey
    • 1 small yellow onion diced
    • 1 red bell pepper diced
    • 1 yellow bell pepper diced
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 12 ounces penne pasta or other short cut pasta (we used gluten free)
    • 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
    • 3/4 cup frozen peas
    • 2 tablespoons sauce from chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (in a can)
    • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream or coconut cream (dairy free)
    • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast (dairy free)
    • 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
    • 1/2 lb asparagus woody ends removed and cut into 2-3 inch pieces
    • Garnish: cilantro and tortilla tortilla strips

    Instructions

    Honey glazed chicken:

    • Dice the chicken and season generously with kosher salt. Heat 1 tablespoons of avocado oil or butter in a deep saute pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot and rippling, add the chicken chunks and stir to sear the sides until golden brown.
    • Turn the heat down to medium low and add the the honey, coating the chicken and letting it glaze the chicken. When the chicken is completely cooked, remove it to a separate plate or bowl.

    Pasta and cream sauce:

    • Add the other tablespoon of avocado oil 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.
    • 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.
    • Open the lid and add the chipotle adobo sauce, coconut cream (or heavy cream), and nutritional yeast (or parmesan cheese) and stir to combine. Finish by adding the peas and chopped asparagus on top, without stirring. Close the lid and steam for 3-4 minutes until the asparagus is tender.
    • Add the cooked chicken on top then remove from the heat. Top with cilantro and crushed tortilla chips.

    Notes

    • To prep-ahead: This recipe is all made in one dish so cooking anything in advance is hard. Prep all of the ingredients in advance, like chopping the onion and peppers, dicing the chicken and cutting the celery. This will save a lot of time when you go to make it.
    • To store: allow the pasta to cool completely then place it in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
    • To reheat: add the pasta back to a large pot over medium heat and cook until heated through. You can also warm individual bowls in the microwave for a few minutes.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 614kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 38.7g | Fat: 9.1g | Cholesterol: 85.6mg | Sodium: 846.9mg | Fiber: 5.2g | Sugar: 14.9g
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @What_MollyMade or tag #whatmollymade!

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