Cheesecake Factory Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta is the perfect copycat recipe to get all of the spicy, creamy, amazing taste right at home!
From this tasty pasta to Pasta da Vinci, to Chicken Bellagio, I’ve been recreating and posting my favorite Cheesecake Factory Recipes for many years. My copycat collection isn’t quite as big as their infamous menu yet, but someday it will be!
Sabrina’s Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta (Copycat)
Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta is sort of a sleeper hit at The Cheesecake Factory. I still remember the first time I heard about the combination of ingredients and to say I was confused is an understatement. Asparagus and peas, plus spicy honey glazed chicken, plus a chipotle parmesan cream sauce? Well, let me tell you – it works!
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breast , boneless skinless, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 pound penne pasta
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons chipotle pepper sauce , from canned adobo peppers
- 1 yellow bell pepper , chopped
- 1 red bell pepper , chopped
- 1/2 yellow onion , chopped
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 pound asparagus , the thinner the better
- 6 ounces parmesan cheese , shredded
Optional Garnish
- fresh cilantro leaves , chopped
- tortilla chip strips
Instructions
- Set your water to boil for your pasta.
- Add the asparagus to the pasta water and boil for 2-3 minutes or until tender crisp.
- Shock it with cold water through a colander.
- Add the pasta and cook to a minute shy of the directions, then drain into the same bowl as the asparagus but don’t rinse.
- In a bowl with your chicken add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper and let sit as you cook the rest of the dish.
- In a large skillet add the butter and melt over medium heat.
- Add the bell peppers and onions and cook until just translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add in the garlic and cook an extra minute.
- Remove the vegetables and add in the olive oil.
- Add the chicken to the pan and turn the heat up to medum-high.
- Brown the chicken on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per each side.
- Add in the honey and stir, cooking an additional 5 seconds.
- Add the bell pepper mixture back to the pan.
- Stir well, then add in the adobo sauce, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes then add in the pasta, asparagus, and frozen green peas.
- Stir to coat everything and serve with any garnishes you’d like (Cheesecake Factory uses tortilla strip chips and cilantro).
Nutrition
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Chef’s Notes
The sauce of this dish is increible as is, and I like ensure the freshness of the veggies because they’re important for the freshnes of the dish. In order to preserve the bright color, i suggest quickly blanching the asparagus and frozen peas to add a crisp, bright freshness and to balance the richness and spicy heat of the sauce.
Table of Contents
About this Recipe
The sauce is a creamy mix of Parmesan and spicy adobo which is tempered by a pretty hearty serving of heavy cream. The just barely-cooked asparagus and green peas make the dish still feel fresh and the slight bit of honey component takes the edge off those chili peppers. It’s a symphony of flavors that come together against all odds for one amazingly delicious dish you just have to try to believe.
Ingredients
- Chicken: Cut your chicken into 1-inch pieces so that they cook quickly and evenly. You could also do strips that are ½ inch wide.
- Pasta: I used penne pasta so it resembles the original dish but you can also use large shells, farfalle, or other short pasta that will catch that amazing sauce.
- Chicken Seasoning: To help tenderize the chicken and add a punch of flavor that will come together, I used lemon juice. You’ll also want to use salt and pepper.
- Olive Oil and Butter: The veggies get softened in butter first to build some rich flavor. Adding olive oil to the pan to cook the chicken keeps the butter from burning so you get the buttery flavor and a nice sear on the chicken.
- Honey: The quick honey glaze adds a warm sweetness that breaks up the spicy and rich flavors.
- Adobo Peppers in Sauce: I use just the sauce, if you want to kick up the heat even more use just one pepper instead and mash it into a paste before adding it to the sauce.
- Aromatic Veggies: A “fajita” mix of yellow and red bell peppers plus the onion add a delicious flavorful veggie base. And of course plenty of garlic to really punch up the flavor!
- Heavy Cream: The heavy cream makes a rich, silky sauce that just clings to every part of the dish.
- Parmesan Cheese: Some nutty Parmesan cheese adds saltiness to the sauce and helps thicken it.
- Garnish: Serve this like the Cheesecake Factory with some tortilla strips and fresh chopped cilantro garnish.
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet: I love my trusty heavy duty cast iron skillet for one pan pasta dishes like this one. It gives the best sear and helps build so much flavor.
- Chef’s Knife: A good quality chef’s knife is a must have for any kitchen to chop veggies and raw meat easily for quick prep.
- Large Pot: I used one large pot to blanch the asparagus and boil the pasta to save on clean up!
How to Store
- Store: Let the pasta cool to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container. Keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: It is best to reheat this pasta over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until it’s heated through. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of broth, cream, or whole milk to loosen it up.
- Freeze: Once cooled, store leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to 4 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating for best results.
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Great recipe, I only made one slight change and used 1 cup of heavy cream and even that gave me a very liquid sauce. I’m also thinking of tossing the chicken pieces in some chipotle sauce to give it more kick.
Very interesting, I wonder why? I’m glad you still enjoyed it though, and I’m all for making food spicier. Thank you for the 5 star review!
Good flavor but my sauce was very runny and not creamy at all
I’m glad the flavor turned out as expected, but I’m sorry to hear that the sauce didn’t turn out. I haven’t had this happen before, but if the sauce looks runny again, try a cornstarch slurry. Make 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 1 or 2 tablespoons cold water. That should help thicken it up.