Copycat Chicken Chipotle Pasta

5 from 24 votes

Chicken Chipotle Pasta features juicy chicken and tender veggies in a delectable spicy cream sauce. This easy recipe is lick your plate clean good.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 8

Cook Time 20

Total Time 28

Servings People

Calories 785kcal

In a medium saucepan, boil asparagus for 2-3 minutes. Place into an ice bath.
Cook pasta in the same saucepan according to the package directions.
In a large dutch oven melt butter. Cook onion and pepper until softened. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Set aside on a plate.
In the same dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Brown chicken on all sides, then sprinkle with salt, pepper, chipotle seasoning, and honey.
Add cooked veggies, adobo sauce, chipotle seasoning, cheese, and heavy cream to the dutch oven.
Cook for 3-5 minutes until incorporated. Fold in pasta and asparagus.

Ingredient Notes

- Chipotle: Look for them in the international aisle near the taco shells.
- Pasta: I like pasta with ridges to really hold on to the sauce, such as Farfalle, Penne, or Cavatappi.
- Asparagus: Look for bright green stalks that are firm to the touch. Avoid limp or discolored bunches.
- If the asparagus is not in season, you can use frozen but avoid canned varieties, which can be too mushy.
- Heavy Cream: Avoid using half and half which tends to curdle when cooking at high temps.

Tips

Don't forget to salt your pasta water.
Snap or cut the ends off of your asparagus: Use a sharp knife to cut off the tough, woody ends. If you bend the asparagus, it will also snap off at the right spot, though this takes longer than chopping! Also, don't skip the ice bath, as it can overcook so quickly and become mushy.
Dicing Chicken: The best way to safely dice raw chicken is to slice each chicken breast slightly against the grain using a sharp knife. Pat dry to make it less slippery and ensure you get a good sear.
Color=Flavor: Allow the chicken to cook for a few minutes undisturbed so it carmelizes. Don't forget to scrape the brown bits off the bottom after adding your heavy cream for even more flavor.
Do not overcook the pasta: Cook until al dente as it will continue to cook in the sauce.
Food Safety: Cook chicken until the juices run clear and it reaches 165 degrees F. I usually pull mine around 160 degrees as it will continue cooking in the sauce.