Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta from The Cheesecake Factory with asparagus, bell peppers and peas with honey glazed chicken in a spicy chipotle parmesan cream sauce.
Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta is sort of a sleeper hit at The Cheesecake Factory. A few months ago we went for dinner and I said to the waitress, “Okay so I’m going to ditch my totally tried and true Cheesecake Factory Corn Cakes and Cheesecake Factory’s Spicy Cashew Chicken for any dish that you think is totally amazing.”
She described this dish to me and I was totally confused. What do asparagus and peas have to do with spicy honey glazed chicken and chipotle parmesan cream sauce?
Leap of faith totally paid off. I can’t explain the combination but I can tell you it is totally delicious.
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 works well people, really really well.
Looking for more Cheesecake Factory Recipes?
- Cheesecake Factory Luau Salad (Copycat)
- Cheesecake Factory’s Spicy Cashew Chicken (Copycat)
- Cheesecake Factory Louisiana Chicken Pasta (Copycat)
- Cheesecake Factory Corn Cakes (Copycat)
- Cheesecake Factory Cajun Jambalaya Pasta
Looking for more pasta recipes?
- Cheesy Taco Pasta
- Chicken Tequila Fettuccine (CPK Copycat)
- Philly Cheesesteak Hamburger Helper
- Easy Thai Green Curry Noodles
Tools used in the making of this Cheesecake Factory Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta:
Cast Iron Skillet: This is my most used pan in my kitchen, heavy, keeps heat well and gives the BEST sear ever.
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.
Chef’s Knife: This knife is one of the three most used tools in my kitchen (tongs and my pig tail flipper are the other two). I love it, I’ve had it for almost 10 years and it is as sharp today as the day I got it. (left column, second from the top). Mind you I love it this much even though I have a ridiculously expense knife set as well.
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breast 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 shredded parmesan cheese
- cilantro and tortilla chip strips for garnish optional
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.
- 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.
- 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
This dish was absolutely delicious! I just had it at Cheesecake Factory this week and loved it. I was looking for a copycat recipe and came across your blog! All I can say is OMG! It tasted just like C.F. Thanks for much for sharing it with us!
Hi! I made this recipe for my boyfriend and he said it tasted just like Cheesecake Factory! Success! I noticed that not every bite was consistent with the chipotle kick though. Do you mix the chipotle sauce together with the heavy cream before adding to the dish? Or is it OK to add them separately one by one? I’m wondering if it would work to just add another teaspoon of chipotle sauce to the pot even though the heavy cream is already all incorporated. Thanks so much!
Can’t wait to make this! Would I ruin the dish if I made ahead? Could I prep early and bake before dinner?
I prefer to serve immediately but absolutely still love the leftovers so yes, you can easily make this ahead and warm it up before serving. Enjoy!
I’ve even frozen this dish for lunches later and it thaws nicely and is still quite good.
Fabulous recipe. I made this for 8 people, half of which are picky eaters, and everyone raved about it. One picky eater picked out the asparagas, and gave it all to me, so I sure didn’t complain! I did take several reviewers suggestion and added in a dollop of tomato paste.
For anyone who has issues with spice, I left out the adobo until the very end and my father in law loved the unspicy version!
I also left the sauce separate from the pasta so I could serve both regular and gluten-free pastas (tastes great on both). We also used lactose-free half and half, still delicious!
We will definitely be making this again.
Loved all of your suggestions, Kelly. Thanks for taking the time to come back and let me know how much everyone enjoy it.
Excited to try this out! Thank you for posting!
I’ve been craving this dish!! Can’t wait to try making it. Do I use just the chipotle pepper sauce from the canned adobo peppers (so I don’t add the actual peppers?). Thanks!
You got it, just the sauce for this recipe. If you don’t plan on using the peppers right away in another recipe, you can always freeze them.
This was amazing! A great match to the Cheesecake Factory recipe– I had just had theirs the day before I made this recipe and this tasted the same! I made it without asparagus and bell peppers, but it was still fantastic. I actually just bought the ingredients again to make it a second time!
Yay!!
Hi Sabrina – was looking for a recipe similar to CCF, but have since stopped eating chicken. Would you recommend substituting chicken for shrimp or what would you suggest to make vegetarian without using soy products?
Substituting shrimp for the chicken would be a great idea. You could also substitute a meaty mushroom like portobello. Let me know how a pescatarian/vegetarian version turns out!
This is such a great recipe, absolutely loved it. Easy to make and you won’t be disappointed. Will now be a regular in our family, my wife and son are also huge fans.
Yay! Happy to hear everyone loved it.
This dish was DELICIOUS!!! I will definitely be making it again. My boyfriend and I like spice so I used the entire can of chiles in adobe sauce, and I also switched the pasta from penne to Angel hair. I liked it so much, I’m literally sending this to my friends! 🙂
Fantastic!! Thanks so much Meredith.
I made this for my husband and I tonight. Absolutely loved it!!! We added the canned adobo pepper finely chopped to it because we love love love heat, but even with that all the flavors came through perfectly. That subtle hint of honey was the perfect touch! Thank you for this recipe. It will certainly be a weekly meal in my household from now on.
Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and let me know. I’m so glad you all enjoyed it.
So what did I do wrong? Mine came out with more of a white thin sauce than the darker sauce in the picture. Still tasted great but didnt look like what’s above at all.
It’s kind of hard to troubleshoot without being there. Maybe your chipotle sauce wasn’t as strong or didn’t simmer long enough to darken the sauce? As long as it tasted good though, that’s the real key 🙂
I know this was a while ago but I’ve struggled with this in the past as well. For me it was definitely not simmering long enough as well as rinsing the noodles. Don’t rinse the noodles and if it’s not thickening or turning color, simmer longer. I hope my own experience helps you or someone else. I’ve made this sooo many times now.
So simmering will darken it right up? Ours was also lighter …but tasted amazing…..just curious on the appearance. Should I summer it WITH the peppers or just add more sauce or just give it more time?
Either way, it is fantastic!
Thanks,
Carolyn
Yes, you’ll be cooking it with the bell pepper mixture. So glad you enjoyed it!
I’m amazed!!! We only go to Cheesecake Factory for this pasta! I made it for the first time tonight and everyone thought it was delicious! Wouldn’t change a thing about it!
Awww, that’s so sweet! You totally made my day! I’m so glad you made it and then came back to tell me about it!
Hello! You mention the chef’s knife you use all the time in your kitchen and that it’s still as sharp today as it was ten years ago. What is the brand, please?
Stay tuned because I’m adding a whole line of products to our site, including a chef’s knife. 🙂 You’ll love them.
The best pasta that I’ve ever had ?
Husband and kids also loved it and asked for me to make it again soon!!
Yay!! So glad you all loved it.
We can’t get adobo / chipotle easily in Australia. Any other chilli options? Have visited Cheesecake Factory on 2 U.S. trips, and loved it.
You could always make your own by mixing 1 tablespoon tomato paste (or if you must – ketchup), 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon chipotle powder (or smoked paprika/cayenne powder mix), 1/2 teaspoon cumin, a pinch of oregano, a pinch of garlic powder, and a pinch of salt. Hope this helps!
I’ve made this recipe about 3 times in counting and will make it again tonight. It’s DELICIOUS and it’s my boyfriend’s favorite meal! Thank you!!
I’d definitely call that a winner! So glad you all enjoy it so much.
I’ve made this so many times and each time I love it more and more!
What side salad would you suggest for this?
I would serve this with a wedge salad or caesar salad. So glad you’re enjoying it!
I’ve made this before and love it, but feel like it’s a litttttle off than the original. I recently was at The Cheesecake Factory and they told me that there is tomato sauce in their version. How do you think that would be incorporated, like a tomato paste with the heavy cream?
Hmm, that’s interesting. You could probably add a little bit of tomato sauce but I would err on the side of caution and add just a bit until you figure out what works. They work in such huge amounts that it’s hard at times to determine how much they are really adding. Good luck!
I made the Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta this evening using this recipe as a guide. It turned out way better than Cheesecake Factory’s. I was kind of disappointed last time we went there because we paid $66.00 for two Chipotle Pasta dishes and a salad and our pasta was extremely dry. Barely any sauce. This definitely made up for that.
I’m so glad you decided to give it a try at home and enjoyed it. Much more budget friendly too!
This recipe is SPOT ON. My boyfriend and I have made it several times and each time we’ve tweaked the recipe slightly to our liking, but following the instructions will give you exactly that Cheesecake Factory taste. We make this recipe gluten free by replacing the pasta with rice and we also started adding a little more adobo/chipotle peppers for more spice. We also found amazing gluten free tortilla strips by Fresh Gourmet to garnish. Highly recommend this recipe!!!
Thanks so much, Cori! I’m glad you were able to adjust it to make it GF.
I made this tonight with no substitutions and it tasted great, but I too wonder why mine came out white instead of red. You could taste the kick in it so there was enough of the adabo sauce. I even used less than 2 cups of heavy cream (only had 1 3/4 cup) so I’m stumped. Would have liked the red color, but my toughest critic (my teenage brother) went for seconds so that’s a win in my book. Thanks!
I personally add one of those little (I think they are 6 oz) cans of tomato sauce to this pasta. I have made it 3 times. It gives it the orangey color that it has at the restaurant and the taste is spot on.
Just made this for dinner. It’s wonderful! Thanks so much and keep up the good cooking!
Thanks for dropping by to let me know! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you for this delicious recipe! I made this today and I’m so happy I have leftovers to take to work for lunch tomorrow! I didn’t have double cream so I substituted it for evaporated milk, which I already had in the pantry. I also blended some chipotle peppers along with the abodo and evaporated milk and then followed the rest of the steps. Yummy!
Sounds delicious!
I was shocked by how similar this recipe tasted compared to the cheesecake dish! Amazing!! Thank you so much for this recipe.
Thank you so much for the 5 stars, Nina! I really pride myself on being as accurate as I can when it comes to copycat recipes.
Made 1/2 of the recipe with no changes and it turned out perfect. Will start making this a regular. Love that it is both sweet and spicy.
Thanks for the 5 stars, Ron! So glad you loved it!
Made this last night and OMG!!! I am officially addicted to this site! Making the philly cheesesteak shells tonight!! Yummy!!!
Haha, love it!! Glad you’re enjoying the recipes!
Where can I get the chipotle pepper sauce from canned adobo peppers?Any Brand or the way I can make it?
Here is a link to the brand that I use. http://amzn.to/2yj2jEF
My family loved this recipe.
Yay!!
Is it possible for me to use heavy whipping cream for this recipe? What’s the difference?
Yes, you can use it. Heavy cream has a bit more fat than whipping cream but essentially it’s the same.
How many people does this recipe serve
4 servings 🙂
I made this. The taste was good but there was no color. It is not as red as the Cheesecake Factory or the picture you are showing. What did I do wrong
Did you change any of the ingredients or methods? If you would like to troubleshoot I would be happy to discuss it further. Email me at contact @ dinnerthendessert.com
Do you only add the sauce from the chipotle pepper sauce not any of the actual peppers?
Yes, I just used the sauce. 🙂
Delicious! I’m now living in Brazil and miss the Cheesecake Factory. I had to sub green beans for asparagus, and homemade salsa for chipotle pepper sauce, but it still was wonderful!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Simply delicious. My wife and I love Cheese Cake Factory, unfortunately there is not one in our neck of the woods. But, whenever we travel abroad we imediatly float to this restaurant for this specific plate. I cannot tell you how long its been since we had the pleasure of eating this dish. So, getting down to this recipe. Delightful. I cannot make a true comparison because its been that long but to the best of my memory it’s spot on. I am no cook by no means so whatever time it takes you, it took me double or more. The simplicity of your recipe was a pleasure to follow. My wife and I will be making this dish again and again, hopefully with more skill and expedience. Thank you so much for bringing a bit of culinary heaven to our home.
I’m so glad you’re able to enjoy it now whenever you want!
Very tasty, but the one thing I was not a fan of was how watery the sauce was. It was not as thick as I had hoped…and I even added more parm. cheese! I am sure it thickens leftover, but wish it was thicket to start.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the taste! Next time you try it, make sure rinse the frozen peas and pat dry before adding. Also, don’t rinse the pasta and it helps to thicken as well. Sometimes it could just mean it might need to cook down longer. Good luck!
I have moved to England and dream about this pasta since leaving the US! I made it last night and it was spot on. Thank you so much!
Yay!! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
Sooooo good! Hubby loved it
I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
My son worked at Cheesecake Factory this was his favorite dish to order at least two times a week. He asked me to make it for the family tonight. My Mother has two helpings and NEVER does that. My son says “it’s spot on, can we make it again tomorrow night, seriously!”
Thank you very much, this will be in my recipe collection.
Laura
That’s awesome! I love hearing the whole family enjoyed it!!
So delicious! This is my favorite dish at cheesecake! Only thing I wish I had were those tortilla chips for the crunch!! The next day the leftovers tasted even better. I forgot the cliantro will def use it next time for the garnish.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
Had this at cheesecake factory the other night, best pasta i’ve ever had, need need NEED it again, thanks for the recipe! Making it tonight!
I hope you love it!
Made this today and LOVE IT. I halved the recipe and reduced the spicy, as my husband doesn’t like things too spicy. 🙂 Thank youuuuuuuu!
Yay, so happy to see that you both loved it! Thanks for taking the time to come back and let me know.
Is there a substitute for the chipotle pepper sauce from canned adobo peppers? Havent made this yet but it looks delicious.
I would suggest mixing 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon chipotle powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, a pinch of oregano, a pinch of garlic powder, and a pinch of salt. You may need to adjust the amounts to your liking but this will at least give you a starting point. Enjoy!
I have a slightly dumb question. When you say boil the asparagus then shock, you mean fish it out of the boiled water not dump the whole pot? Then you would have to restart your water. Sorry for confusion.
Sorry for the confusion. I used the same pot and water to boil both the asparagus and pasta. It saves having to dirty another pot and boiling more water. So yes, boil the asparagus and take it out of the water then pour your pasta in that same water. Hope this helps! Enjoy!!
I know what will be my dinner tonight! The best combo!
Thanks Catalina! Enjoy!!
Ooo! This looks so good! And It has the combo of my two favorite additions to pasta: asparagus and peas! Nice!
Gotta add those veggies in where you can!
This is definitely my kind of dinner, and I love that it’s so easy!
Definitely!
Oh my this looks dreamy! I need to make this asap!
Thanks Amy!
I seriously wish I was having this for dinner tonight.
I love anything chipotle! This looks perfect!
Thanks Des!
Looks just like the original! YUM!
Thanks Allyson!