Chipotle peppers are actually jalapeños smoked for 72 hours over pecan wood—that's why they taste like liquid campfire.
Creamy Chipotle Garlic Chicken Pasta
Whip up a delicious batch of Creamy Chipotle Garlic Chicken Pasta in just 30 minutes! This mouthwatering dish features tender chicken, zesty chipotle sauce, and a luscious creaminess that’s bursting with flavor—all while keeping each serving under 500 calories. Perfect for meal prep, it’s a protein-packed delight that will have your taste buds dancing!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- Optional: chopped cilantro (for topping)optional
- 6 large cloves of garlic
- 1 chopped onion
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 4 chicken breast (approx. 700g total)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 1/3 cup light / fat free cream cheese (I use 95% reduced) (79.2 ml)
- 1/4 cup low fat cheese (any kind, I use mozzarella) (60 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 2 tsp olive oil (10 ml)
- 500g cooked pasta (any kind, I used fusilli) (17.6 oz)
- 1/2 cup pasta water (saved from your cooked macaroni) (120 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- 1/2 tsp salt (2.5 ml)
📦Other(3)
- 1 & 1/2 cup canned tomatoes (any kind, I used san marzano) (360 ml)
- 4 chipotle peppers (I use the canned kind in adobo sauce. Use more or less to your liking in terms of spice)adjust quantity for spice preference
- salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder and garlic powder
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Add olive oil to chicken breast and season with salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder, and garlic powder on both sides.
- 2
Cook chicken in a medium heat pan for six to eight minutes on each side, then set aside.
- 3
In the same pan, add canned tomatoes, garlic, and chopped onions, and cook until soft.
- 4
Transfer to a blender with chipotle peppers, light cream cheese, low fat cheese, a pinch of salt, and pasta water. Blend until smooth.
- 5
Add the sauce back to the pan and mix in the cooked pasta.
- 6
Serve with optional chopped cilantro on top.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Heat your pan to 325-350°F before adding chicken to achieve proper Maillard reaction without overcooking the interior, ensuring juicy results in the 6-8 minute timeframe.technique325-350°F
- ✓Reserve exactly 1 cup of starchy pasta water before draining because the starches act as natural emulsifiers, helping bind the cream cheese sauce without breaking.technique1 cup pasta water
- ✓Blend the sauce while hot (above 140°F) so the cream cheese melts completely and creates a silky emulsion rather than lumpy texture.timingAbove 140°F
- ✓Use chipotle peppers in adobo rather than dried chipotles because the adobo sauce contains vinegar and sugar that balance the heat while adding depth.ingredient
- ✓Toss pasta with sauce off heat for 30-60 seconds to allow starches to fully hydrate and thicken the sauce through mechanical action.timing30-60 seconds
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Chipotle peppers are actually jalapeños smoked for 72 hours over pecan wood—that's why they taste like liquid campfire.
Creamy Chipotle Garlic Chicken Pasta
Whip up a delicious batch of Creamy Chipotle Garlic Chicken Pasta in just 30 minutes! This mouthwatering dish features tender chicken, zesty chipotle sauce, and a luscious creaminess that’s bursting with flavor—all while keeping each serving under 500 calories. Perfect for meal prep, it’s a protein-packed delight that will have your taste buds dancing!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- Optional: chopped cilantro (for topping)optional
- 6 large cloves of garlic
- 1 chopped onion
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 4 chicken breast (approx. 700g total)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 1/3 cup light / fat free cream cheese (I use 95% reduced) (79.2 ml)
- 1/4 cup low fat cheese (any kind, I use mozzarella) (60 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 2 tsp olive oil (10 ml)
- 500g cooked pasta (any kind, I used fusilli) (17.6 oz)
- 1/2 cup pasta water (saved from your cooked macaroni) (120 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- 1/2 tsp salt (2.5 ml)
📦Other(3)
- 1 & 1/2 cup canned tomatoes (any kind, I used san marzano) (360 ml)
- 4 chipotle peppers (I use the canned kind in adobo sauce. Use more or less to your liking in terms of spice)adjust quantity for spice preference
- salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder and garlic powder
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Add olive oil to chicken breast and season with salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder, and garlic powder on both sides.
- 2
Cook chicken in a medium heat pan for six to eight minutes on each side, then set aside.
- 3
In the same pan, add canned tomatoes, garlic, and chopped onions, and cook until soft.
- 4
Transfer to a blender with chipotle peppers, light cream cheese, low fat cheese, a pinch of salt, and pasta water. Blend until smooth.
- 5
Add the sauce back to the pan and mix in the cooked pasta.
- 6
Serve with optional chopped cilantro on top.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Heat your pan to 325-350°F before adding chicken to achieve proper Maillard reaction without overcooking the interior, ensuring juicy results in the 6-8 minute timeframe.technique325-350°F
- ✓Reserve exactly 1 cup of starchy pasta water before draining because the starches act as natural emulsifiers, helping bind the cream cheese sauce without breaking.technique1 cup pasta water
- ✓Blend the sauce while hot (above 140°F) so the cream cheese melts completely and creates a silky emulsion rather than lumpy texture.timingAbove 140°F
- ✓Use chipotle peppers in adobo rather than dried chipotles because the adobo sauce contains vinegar and sugar that balance the heat while adding depth.ingredient
- ✓Toss pasta with sauce off heat for 30-60 seconds to allow starches to fully hydrate and thicken the sauce through mechanical action.timing30-60 seconds