Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta Recipe

A bowl with Mexican-inspired spicy chicken chipotle pasta, two serving utensils. A piece of parmesan cheese and parsley bunch above it. All on a wooden surface.

Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta Recipe

This Mexican-inspired chicken pasta dinner has chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, cream, and parmesan cheese and comes together in 30 minutes!

Course Main Course

Cuisine International

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Servings

Calories 910kcal

Author by Jenny | The Greek Foodie

Equipment

1 large deep saucepan

Ingredients

½ lb rigatoni pasta
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 chicken thighs skinless and boneless
1 onion medium size
2 garlic cloves
2-3 poblano peppers in adobo sauce
1 cup white wine
1½ cup heavy cream
1½ cups parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped

Chicken seasoning

1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 lemon zested

Instructions

Toss the olive oil, chicken, seasoning, and freshly ground pepper in a bowl.
Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a large deep saucepan set over medium-high heat, add the chicken, and sear until deeply golden on both sides, about five minutes per side. The sugar in the seasoning will caramelize and darken the chicken. It adds significant flavor! Turn the heat off and transfer it to a plate.
While your chicken cooks, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and stir. Save half a cup of pasta water. Take your pasta out a couple of minutes before the package directions.
Add the onion to the same pan. Scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan. Cook for one minute until the onion is fragrant. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute.
Roughly mash the poblano peppers with a fork and add them to the pan. Pour any sauce from the peppers into the pan and cook for one minute.
Add the wine and cook on high for two minutes to let the alcohol evaporate.
Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes, until slightly thickened. Stir in the grated parmesan.
Put the pasta in the sauce, stir, and add a tablespoon or two of pasta water. Cook for 2 minutes.
Chop the chicken into bite-size pieces, add it to the pan, and stir. Add the parsley.
Remove from the heat and serve immediately with more parmesan and chili flakes.

Notes

Pasta. You can use any pasta you like, but I recommend shortcut shapes like rigatoni, penne, or farfalle for maximum results. This shortcut shape holds the sauce well and fits with the bite-size chicken pieces.

Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. As a substitute, you can use a chili pepper and a couple of tablespoons of chipotle barbecue sauce, like Rufus Teague's Smoke 'N Chipotle. Small dice the chili pepper and add it to the pan with the garlic. Saute for one minute and follow with the sauce.

White wine. My favorite white wine to drink and add to my sauces are crisp, dry whites, like Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay. Substitute with low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth.

Parmesan cheese. Get the best cheese for your budget. Ideally, pick a wedge of Parmigiano Reggiano (or Grana Padano) and grate it yourself. You can use pre-grated cheese from your grocery store's deli fridge, but check if there is an anticaking agent in the ingredients. It's best if the only ingredient is cheese. Avoid cheese in plastic jars that sit forever in supermarket isles at all costs.

Heavy cream. You can use a light version or half and half if you prefer.

Nutritional Info – Please remember that the nutritional information provided is only estimated and can vary based on the products used.

Nutrition