Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta
Smoky, creamy, and perfectly balanced with a touch of honey-sweetened chicken, this restaurant-inspired pasta brings the bold flavors of chipotle and Parmesan together in a velvety sauce that clings to every piece of penne.
Equipment
- Large pot - for boiling pasta
- Large Deep Skillet or Sauté Pan - 12-inch/30cm recommended
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- Colander - for draining pasta
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Box grater or microplane - for grating fresh Parmesan
- Tongs
- Lodge Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven - optional, for finishing and serving
Ingredients
- 1 lb penne pasta - 450g
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts - 680g, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 whole lemon - juiced
- salt - to taste
- black pepper - to taste
- 1 whole red bell pepper - thinly sliced
- 1 whole yellow bell pepper - thinly sliced
- 1 whole medium yellow onion - thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 lb fresh asparagus - 450g, woody ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch/2.5cm pieces
- 1 cup frozen green peas - 130g
- 2 cups heavy cream - 480ml
- 2 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce - use the sauce; for more heat, mince 1 whole pepper and add it too
- 1.5 cups Parmesan cheese - 135g, freshly grated
- fresh cilantro or parsley - for garnish
- tortilla strips - optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Cut chicken into 1-1.5 inch pieces. Toss with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Let marinate for 10 minutes while you prep vegetables.
- Boil asparagus for 2 minutes, then transfer to ice water. In the same water, cook penne until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
- Sear chicken in olive oil and butter until golden and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes total. Drizzle with honey and stir to glaze. Transfer to a plate and cover.
- Sauté onion in the same pan for 3-4 minutes, then add peppers for 3-4 more minutes. Add garlic to the center and cook 30-45 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in heavy cream and chipotle adobo, scraping up browned bits. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened. Reduce heat to low and whisk in Parmesan in batches until smooth.
- Add cooked pasta, blanched asparagus, peas, and glazed chicken to the sauce. Toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water a splash at a time if the sauce is too thick.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley and crispy tortilla strips. Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- Grate your own Parmesan cheese from a block for the smoothest sauce. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that can make the sauce grainy.
- Reserve the starchy pasta water before draining—it's the secret to adjusting the sauce consistency without diluting flavor.
- Blanch asparagus separately and shock in ice water to keep it bright green and crisp-tender rather than mushy.
- To reduce heat, use just 1 teaspoon of adobo sauce and skip the whole chipotle pepper. Add extra honey to balance the spice.
- Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of broth or cream.
- For a smokier flavor, add 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika along with the chipotle peppers.
- Swap chicken for shrimp (cook 2 minutes per side and add at the end) or omit meat entirely for a vegetarian version with extra mushrooms and zucchini.
- The sauce will thicken as it cools. When reheating, always add a little liquid to bring it back to a creamy consistency.
- This dish is flexible with pasta shapes—rigatoni, farfalle, and cavatappi all work beautifully with this sauce.