Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta (Copycat)

A copycat Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta is covered in a spicy chipotle cream sauce that’s creamy and full of intense flavor.

If you’ve ever had the Chipotle Chicken Pasta at Cheesecake Factory, you know how incredible it tastes. It combines so many flavors into one unique dish that was special to inside those Cheesecake doors, but not anymore.

I’ve taken the recipe, broke it down, and recreated it to get that same spicy and creamy flavor in your own house.

Serve this with an easy garlic cheese bread, some salad, and your dinner is all set!

There are a lot of moving parts to the recipe, so I’ve also included some helpful tips for prepping parts of this ahead of time. There are a few options to make it suitable for you!

What is Chipotle Chicken Pasta?

This recipe was based directly on the Cheesecake Factory’s version found in their restaurant and is full of all the same flavors. So, let’s break down those flavors.

Honey chicken is tossed with pasta and sweet peppers, peas, and asparagus then covered in a spicy chipotle parmesan cream sauce.

Think of it like a chipotle alfredo pasta with vegetables. It’s amazing!

How to Make Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta

STEP ONE: Grab your boneless skinless chicken breasts and cut them into 1-inch cubes.

STEP TWO: Melt butter in a deep sauté pan (or any saute pan with high sides) on medium-high heat and then add the chicken pieces and honey. Stir to coat and cook for about 5 minutes, until fully cooked at 165 degrees.

Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.

It will bubble up while cooking and that’s fine. If the chicken starts to brown too quickly, turn your heat down.

I love to put the chicken in the serving bowl afterward to save me from doing more dishes.

STEP THREE: Heat a large pot of water on the stove and start cooking the pasta according to directions on the box. Once cooked, strain and set aside.

I like to use penne pasta, but you can also use linguine pasta as well.

STEP FOUR: Turn the deep sauté pan to medium heat and add the remaining butter. Add in the asparagus pieces and let cook for about 3 minutes.

Then add in the diced peppers, onion, and peas. Cook for an additional 5 or so minutes until the asparagus and peppers are tender. Remove the pan from the heat.

STEP FIVE: While the vegetables are cooking, start putting together the spicy chipotle parmesan cream sauce by melting the butter in a medium pot on medium heat.

If you’re not short on time, you can reuse your large pot from the pasta while it’s in a colander.

Add in the minced garlic, then slowly add the heavy cream. Then add in the chipotle in adobo sauce (just the sauce and not the actual chipotle peppers), salt, and pepper, then stir to combine.

Lastly, add Parmesan cheese and continue to cook on medium until the cheese melts. If the sauce is too thin for your liking, add 1 tablespoon of flour while it’s still on the stove.

STEP SIX: Add the chicken, pasta, and spicy chipotle cream sauce to the vegetables and combine.

Serve the spicy chicken chipotle pasta with tortilla strips to get the real Cheesecake Factory copycat effect and enjoy!

What is the Best Pan to Cook This In?

While I use normal large and medium pots, I have fallen in love with this T-Fal Fry Pan with high sides to make recipes that combine pasta with other ingredients.

The surface heats up evenly and I can fit everything all in one. Just make sure to use plastic utensils (not metal) on anything non-stick!

List of Products Used:

• 5QT Calphalon Dutch Oven (for the pasta)
• 3QT T-Fal Medium Saucepan
• Deep T-Fal Saute Pan
• Plastic Kitchen Utensils

How to Prep this Spicy Chicken Pasta Ahead of Time

Life is busy, so I am always looking for ways to save time in the kitchen. Here are just a few ways to prep this to easily make this for dinner.

• Make the pasta ahead of time and store it in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave with 1-2 tablespoons of butter or adding it to the parmesan chipotle sauce until heated through

• Make the spicy chipotle alfredo sauce ahead of time and store it in the fridge. Just add it to an empty pot on the stove and cook on medium heat for a few minutes until heated through.

• Chop the vegetables ahead of time and store them covered in the fridge. This can save a ton of time prepping this dish, especially if you work a little slower with a knife.
  
  Just chop them and add them to dishwasher-safe Tupperware dishes the night before or the morning of making the spicy chicken chipotle pasta

• Saute the vegetables ahead of time and cover them in the fridge. Once the pasta and chicken are done cooking, just add them into the pot and cook for a few minutes on medium-low heat to heat them!

Can I Make This Vegetarian?

Yes! Just skip the chicken and honey steps and add the honey to vegetables or leave it out altogether.

You can also choose to replace the chicken with either tofu or a meat-free chicken alternative.

It will turn the dish into a spicy Alfredo pasta that’s still completely mouthwatering and delicious!

How to Store This Recipe for Later

This recipe made more than enough for our family of 4 for one night.

To store the leftovers, place them in an airtight container, like these Rubbermaid containers, and refrigerate within 1 hour of making.

Store in the fridge for up to 3 days and microwave to reheat.

Other Recipes You’ll Love:

• Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
• Easy Summer Pasta Salad
• Instant Pot Chicken Stroganoff
• Mexican Lasagna