Creamy Jalapeño Chicken Pasta (Printable version)

Tender chicken and bacon in a creamy three-cheese jalapeño sauce over pasta

# What You Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (rotisserie or poached)
02 - 6 slices bacon, diced

→ Pasta

03 - 12 oz short pasta (elbow macaroni or penne)

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

04 - 2 fresh jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped (plus extra slices for garnish)
05 - 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Dairy

07 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened and cubed
08 - 1 cup whole milk
09 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
10 - 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

→ Pantry

11 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
12 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

→ Topping

15 - 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs, toasted
16 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

# How to Make It:

01 - Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced bacon and cook until crisp, approximately 6-8 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, reserving 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the pan.
03 - Add olive oil to the bacon fat in the skillet. Sauté onion and jalapeños for 3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Lower heat to medium-low. Add cream cheese and milk, stirring constantly until the cheese melts and forms a smooth, cohesive sauce.
05 - Stir in cheddar, mozzarella, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt. Mix until all cheese is melted and the sauce achieves a creamy consistency.
06 - Add shredded chicken, cooked pasta, and half of the cooked bacon to the sauce. Gently fold until all components are thoroughly coated and heated through.
07 - Taste the pasta and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Serve immediately, topped with remaining bacon, toasted panko breadcrumbs, extra jalapeño slices, and fresh herbs if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like comfort food had a fancy dinner party, all smoky, creamy, and delightfully spicy.
  • Ready in under 45 minutes, which means weeknight dinner or last-minute entertaining without the stress.
  • The bacon-to-cream-cheese ratio creates this ridiculously satisfying texture that keeps you coming back for more.
02 -
  • Don't let the cream cheese get too hot too fast or it'll break and become grainy instead of silky, which is why medium-low heat matters here.
  • Taste everything before serving because bacon and cheese are salty, and you might need less salt than the recipe suggests depending on your ingredients.
03 -
  • Toast your panko breadcrumbs in a dry skillet for a minute before using them so they're golden and crispy instead of pale and soft.
  • If you're cooking for someone with dietary restrictions, this adapts surprisingly well to gluten-free pasta and dairy-free cream cheese, though the texture will be slightly different.
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