Creamy Jalapeño Popper Chicken Pasta (Printable Version)

Tender chicken and bacon in a velvety three-cheese sauce with fresh jalapeños, ready in 45 minutes.

# Ingredient List:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 cups cooked shredded chicken, rotisserie or poached
02 - 6 slices bacon, chopped

→ Pasta

03 - 12 ounces short pasta such as elbow macaroni or penne

→ Vegetables and Aromatics

04 - 2 to 3 fresh jalapeños, seeded and diced
05 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Dairy and Cheese

07 - 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
08 - 1 cup whole milk
09 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
10 - ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

→ Seasonings

11 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - ½ teaspoon salt, plus additional for pasta water
13 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Optional Garnishes

14 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or green onions
15 - Fresh jalapeño slices

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving approximately 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the skillet.
03 - Add the chopped onion and diced jalapeños to the skillet. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 additional minute.
04 - Add the softened cream cheese, stirring until melted and smooth. Pour in the milk gradually, whisking to create a creamy sauce.
05 - Stir in the cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses until melted and sauce reaches a smooth consistency. Season with smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
06 - Add the shredded chicken and half of the cooked bacon to the sauce. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes until heated through.
07 - Toss in the cooked pasta, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve desired sauce consistency.
08 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot, garnished with remaining bacon, chopped chives or green onions, and fresh jalapeño slices.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes indulgent and restaurant-worthy but comes together in less time than ordering takeout.
  • The heat builds slowly and pleasantly, so even if you're not a spice person, you can dial it exactly how you like it.
  • Bacon fat does most of the heavy lifting flavor-wise, so you don't need a ton of ingredients to feel satisfied.
02 -
  • Don't add the pasta directly to the hot sauce without loosening it first with pasta water, or you'll end up with a thick clump instead of a silky dish.
  • Taste the sauce multiple times as you're building it because cream-based sauces can easily become over-salted, and the bacon and cheese already bring plenty of salt to the party.
03 -
  • Room-temperature cream cheese stirred into hot sauce melts faster and more smoothly than cold cream cheese, which can form small clumps that are hard to dissolve.
  • If your sauce breaks or looks grainy, remove it from heat and whisk in a splash of cold milk, which almost always fixes the problem instantly.
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