Cheesecake Factory Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta with asparagus, peas, and honey glazed chicken in a spicy chipotle parmesan cream sauce.
From this creamy, spicy 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!
Table of contents
Sabrina’s Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta
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? But let me tell you – it works!
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 just barely noticeable 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 even 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.
- Peas and Asparagus: Quickly blanched asparagus and frozen peas add a crisp freshness to balance the richness and spicy heat of the sauce.
- 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.
Step by Step Instructions
- Blanch Asparagus
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Blanch your asparagus in the water for a couple minutes. Strain (without draining the pot of water) and run under cold water in a colander and transfer to a large bowl.
- Cook Pasta
In the same pot of boiling water, add your pasta. Cook until 1 minute shy of al dente according to the package directions. Drain the pasta but do not rinse. Add it to the bowl with the asparagus.
- Marinate Chicken
Add the chicken pieces to separate bowl with the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss to coat and set aside.
- Saute Onions and Peppers
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the bell peppers and onions and saute until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook another 60 seconds.
- Cook the Chicken
Transfer the veggie mixture to a plate and in the same skillet add the olive oil. Turn the heat to medium high and add the chicken pieces. Brown the chicken on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side, until cooked through.
- Honey Glaze
Stir the honey into the chicken, letting it coat it all over. Cook for a few seconds, not too long, and then add the bell pepper and onion mixture back to the skillet. Stir to coat again.
- Cream Sauce
Add the adobo sauce, heavy cream and Parmesan cheese to the pan and stir well. Simmer for 3-4 minutes to thicken and absorb the flavors.
- Combine
Stir the pasta, asparagus, and frozen peas into the chicken and sauce. Coat everything really well and heat until the peas are warmed through.
- Garnish and Serve
Remove from the heat and serve immediately. You can garnish it with tortilla strips and chopped cilantro, or other favorite pasta toppings.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breast , boneless skinless, cut into 1" 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 fresh 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 to a minute shy of the directions and 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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Kitchen Tools
- 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 a 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 temp 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 low medium 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.
Related Posts
More Cheesecake Factory Copycat Recipes
I had leftover rotisserie chicken so I used that only had 1/2 & 1/2 started out with 1 1/2 c and made cornstarch slurry but next time won’t do that turned out a little thick. Also used a whole can of adobe sauce only the spice was just right. Didn’t use all the asparagus used half was enough for us. Definitely would make again. Gong to try to freeze the leftovers. Next time making 1/2 the recipe.
So yummy! I used 1 1/2 cup of heavy cream, added an extra ounce or 2 of parm, added an extra tablespoon of adobo sauce and a whole pepper, and made a corn starch slurry 1:1 ratio to thicken up the sauce. Delicious.. can’t wait to make this again!
Thanks for the feedback and for the five star review.
Delicious
Mouth watering delicious!!
I found this a few months ago.
I make it a couple times a week, we crave it that much!!
I did tweak the recipe a bit. I don’t add meat or any of the vegetables besides broccoli.
I add a bit more of the chipotle pepper sauce & honey.
I’ve got my entire family addicted to this dish.
I’ve tried several different recipes for chipotle pasta and not one compares to this recipe!!!
Thank you so much for sharing!!
You’re welcome Kristin and thank you for the five star review! Love the “tweaks” to the recipe!
I used raw honey and the dish was consumed by a honey taste 🙁
Sounds delicious. Glad you enjoyed the Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta Kayley!
Excellent recipe! I served the pasta on the side only because I love a lot of sauce. I also used broccoli instead of asparagus because that’s what I had. Very delicious! Thank you for sharing!
You’re welcome! And thanks so much for the 5 star review!
Very good, I blended the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and added about 6 tablespoons because it just didn’t have enough taste like the original. It could’ve been the kind of brand or something but after adding a few extra tablespoons it was exactly like the original! Thank you!
Quick question, do we not boil the frozen peas a little with the asparagus? Wouldn’t they be like hard? I’m confused.
The just barely cooked asparagus and green peas make the dish still feel fresh and the just barely noticeable honey component takes the edge off those chili peppers.
Hi there ! So , couple of comments – when you write ” 2 boneless chicken breasts”, always good to write how many pounds – they vary greatly in size, as you would know!
Also, 2 cups of cream for just 6 servings?? That is more than 5 Tbls of cream per person – say whaat?? I make amazing chicken tikka masala and many other dishes with just 1 – 2 Tbls heavy cream for person – more than enough.
You should make your dishes healthier, just saying. I know whereof I speak , so to say. I am a highly rated culinary teacher in the healthy boston area – teach people from 3 – 99.
I would love to hear back from you – prob won’t
Hi Shailini! Loved your witty comments! You’re right, I know that our recipes are probably not the healthiest options out there but they sure are yummy! Congratulations on being a highly rated culinary teacher! I wish you well.
Made this after craving Cheesecake Factory and you NAILED it! It was a hit with my family. I did put cornstarch in the chicken marinade to velvet it so it’s tender. That may solve some people’s issue if it being to watery. And adding pasta water to the sauce at the end!
Me and the wife love this recipe!! We make it as a special meal for me and her.
Only thing, how do we make the sauce thicker?
Hi Cameron, To thicken the sauce, try doubling the adobe sauce and parmesan cheese ingredients. If you have a preference of tastes (adobe sauce or parmesan cheese), then just double the amount of the preferred ingredient. Let us know how it turns out!
Hi Sabrina. I feel like I followed the recipe very closely, but my sauce is very watery. Could you tell me what I could do differently to make it thicker and coat the pasta better next time? This has great flavor and I really love it.
That’s a tough one without seeing how you created the dish. Did you use heavy whipping cream and fresh grated parmesan by any chance? The sauce is not thick, it’s rich and coats all the ingredients with the adobe chile flavors. I’m sorry you were disappointed.
Was delicious. Easy to put together
This was really good. The whole family liked it!
This is delicious. I have made it multiple times and we love it. I am not quick so this one always takes me awhile but very good.
Made this for dinner and everyone loved it! Adding to my recipe book, thank you!
This was delicious! Followed the almost recipe exactly. Only added almost a full can of adobe sauce plus some of the diced chilies because we like it spicy and it was perfect! My boyfriend can eat a lot and this made a full dinner plus extras! Added to my favorite make again recipes thank you! Reviewer tip: Definitely make!
Awesome recipe
Probably my favorite for special company !
Can this be fixed a day before? And does it need the asparagus and peas? Flavor wise?
The asparagus and peas add a nice little crunch to the pasta but they don’t add a flavor unless you have it on the fork/spoon.
Very yummy! Added extra chipotle sauce! Extra Parmesan!
I made this tonight and it turned out great, my husband had three helpings he liked it so much!
I’ve made this recipe so many times I’ve lost count. I had to sign up to make a dish for a work pot luck and decided to make a double batch to bring to impress my coworkers. Can’t wait to hear what they think. So far everyone I’ve made it for has loved it and begged for more. My girlfriend doesn’t want to let me leave the house with it tomorrow for work! ? it tastes just like the Cheesecake Factory, if not better. I make mine by the book normally except I leave out the peas because I’m just not a fan of peas. Thanks for taking the time to make the copy cat recipe for us to follow!
I loved this recipe
It seemed to make alot
Do you think it would actually feed 8 ?
I absolutely love this meal. Made it several times…..
Great recipe
This is not an American recipe this is a MEXICAN recipe. That is all.
Agree to disagree… I have never seen pasta as part of Mexican cuisine. But to each, their own. Thank you to the author of this recipe. It is delicious and we have made it several times!
Haven’t this yet but can this have to served hot or can it be served room temp/ cold as a pasta salad?
I haven’t eaten it cold but do whatever works for you!
Can I freeze this?
Soooo delicious!! I don’t usually leave a comment but this was amazingly flavorful. I followed the recipe exactly other than adding 1 diced chipotle pepper to add a little heat. My husband thought this was fantastic. I will definitely make this again! Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
It’s good pasta but wasn’t spicy at all like the Cheesecake Factory one
Good but not like the Cheesecake Factory’s dish
I absolutely love this recipe! I have made it many times and it tastes as good as the real thing. It’s delicious and easy to make.
Sometimes I add more chipotle if I’m craving more of a spicy kick or sometimes I add more garlic because “why not?”.
Side note: it pairs well with a nice glass of Chardonnay 🙂
Great recipe and easy to make !
This was a Hit! I’ve been making this on and off for the past two years and it always came out perfect!
I added 4 cans of the adobo sauce, no peppers (I know it sounds like a lot) because I love the Smokey flavor and the underlying spice.
Another thing I did over time to ensure my sauce stays smooth is slowly adding and stirring in Parmesan cheese.
SOOOO GOOD
Literally so delicious I make it once a week my whole family loves it including my almost 2 year old! Easy recipe, so worth it!
When I made this it looked nothing like the picture??? My sauce was not yellow/orange and the sauce was very runny. I used the two tablespoons of adobe sauce but the dish barely had any spice. What did I do wrong?
Was sooo good! My HS senior made this for his final project in his cooking class.
Absolutely delicious. I made it exactly as the recipe described which is rare. But turned out amazing. Perfect blend of spicy and sweet and the cream tempers the peppers. Definitely putting this on my repeat make list.
Woo hoo!
Can I freeze this?
I tried the recipe this week, and my boyfriend said, “I think this is the best thing you’ve ever made.” It was delicious – definitely adding to the rotation.
This is so nice! Thanks to you both! 🙂
Divine.
Thank you Kaz!!! Keep enjoying!