This Spicy Chicken Pasta Recipe is anything but bland! Toss your favorite noodles in a luscious creamy tomato sauce that is loaded with flavor - A restaurant quality meal ready in about 30 minutes.
If you love spicy meals for dinner like us, then you might love our Chili Lime Shrimp, Air Fryer Buffalo Wings, Thai Spicy Noodles or Hunan Chicken.
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Spicy Chicken Pasta
A delicious combination of creamy tomato sauce tossed with chicken and bow tie. It is ready in under 30 minutes, chockfull of flavor, cozy, comforting and restaurant quality but made with jarred tomato sauce for an easy weeknight meal - The Best tasting!
This recipe is packed with so much flavor from fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, paprika and black pepper. Theres something about creamy tomato sauces that I can't resist! Like this Penne alla Vodka, Chicken Mushroom Pasta no dairy or this Shrimp Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce.
Any pasta lovers out there? It is mostly easy, filling, comforting and family friendly. The inspiration for this dish is drawn from spicy Italian sausage and made into a creamy, comforting recipe. My favorite part is that it can be made with no cream, making it a healthier recipe for the whole family to enjoy!
Why you'll love this recipe?
- Perfect weeknight or date night - It is made with everyday ingredients along with any noodles that you have in your pantry. Complex enough for date nights.
- Flavorsome - It is a relatively simple dish made with pantry staples yet packed with so much flavor. Imagine a spicy Italian sausage bow tie without the sausage.
- Uses jarred sauce – One of my favorite shortcuts for a quick dinner.
- Delicious creamy tomato sauce - The combination of tomato with cream sauce is one of the best sauce for any noodle. The flavorful blend of spices along with that make it irresistible.
- Kid friendly - This dish is made made with no wine, making it perfect for kids to enjoy!
WHAT KIND OF PASTA TO USE?
We used bow tie, however it is delicious paired with any other shape like penne, linguini, fettuccini, angel hair, spaghetti, rigatoni, fusilli or ziti.
WHAT KIND OF SPICES?
The combination is not fiery but has a nice kick that is nothing but bland. We use a blend of paprika, crushed fennel seeds, black pepper and red pepper flakes. You can always dial down the heat if you'd like with the red pepper flakes.
INGREDIENTS
- Chicken - Diced boneless skinless thighs or breasts.
- Pasta - Bow tie or your favorite noodles.
- Spices - Paprika, black pepper, red pepper flakes and fennel.
- Parmesan - Grated parmesan to finish.
- Marinara sauce - I used Prego (tomato, basil & garlic).
- Heavy cream - It not only adds richness, but also helps to balance the spice. Replace with canned coconut milk for a healthier twist.
- Pantry ingredients - Onion, garlic, olive oil and salt
Pro Tips for Success
- Chicken thighs : Thigh meat cooks up tender and juicy, however boneless, skinless breasts can used.
- Don't overcook the chicken - Although it is impossible not to overcook thighs, yet they are truly succulent and not chewy, if cooked just right.
- Pasta – I used bow tie, but any cooked noodle may be used.
- Marinara sauce – Use your favorite brand. We have always loved Prego, tomato basil and garlic (this is not a sponsored post).
- Make it healthy - Use canned coconut milk instead of heavy cream. You will be able to hardly notice the difference.
- Fennel seeds - Lightly crush the fennel seeds (with a meat mallet / back of a pan / mortar and pestle.
- Spiciness - If you are new to spicy food, then we recommend reducing red pepper flakes and black pepper.
VARIATIONS
- Broccoli – Add broccoli florets during last couple of minutes of pasta cooking.
- Spinach - Stir in baby spinach.
- Mushrooms - Skip chicken and use thick sliced mushrooms instead to make it vegetarian.
- Lighter - Use half and half or canned coconut milk instead of heavy cream.
How to make?
- Cook bow ties - Cook bow ties or your favorite noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente and drain.
- Cook chicken - Cook chopped boneless, skinless meat in a dash of olive oil, until golden on both sides and transfer to a bowl.
- Saute aromatics - Saute chopped onion, garlic, red pepper flakes and fennel seeds, until translucent. Stir in marinara sauce, heavy cream, water, ground pepper, paprika, salt and cooked meat, Simmer until thickened and cooked.
- Finish - Stir in cooked noodles, freshly grated parmesan and fresh basil.
What to serve along with this dish?
A good Garlic bread is always the best option! Other delicious pairings to make it a complete meal -
- Homemade Garlic knots
- Garlic bread grilled cheese
- Parmesan bread bites
- Avocado dinner rolls
- Cheesy broccoli
- Air fryer Asparagus parmesan
How to store leftovers ?
Leftovers can refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 4 days. Reheat in microwave with a splash of water, until heated through. Garnish with grated parmesan and fresh basil.
More creamy pasta recipes -
- Vodka sauce recipe
- Pasta with Pesto Cream Sauce
- Garlic Butter Pasta with Shrimp
- Chicken Broccoli Pasta Recipe
- Healthy Instant Pot Pasta.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Classic Italian spices like fennel, paprika, red pepper flakes and black pepper add some heat and deliciousness.
Pink Sauce! It is a creamy combination of white alfredo and red sauce, giving a pink color.
More spicy dishes to turn up the heat:
- Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers
- Shrimp Avocado Rice Bowl
- Teriyaki Marinated Chicken in Air fryer
- Honey Sriracha Chicken
- Chicken Burrito Bowl
- Sriracha Cauliflower and Cashews
More chicken pasta recipes to try -
- Butter chicken pasta
- Pasta with Chicken and Lemon
- Pesto chicken pasta
- Pasta with chicken meat sauce
- Chicken pesto pasta salad
- Chicken parmesan pasta
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Spicy Chicken Pasta
This Spicy Chicken Pasta Recipe is anything but bland! Toss your favorite noodles in a luscious creamy tomato sauce that is loaded with flavor - A restaurant quality meal ready in about 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs (chopped into bite size pieces)
- ¾ to 1 teaspoon salt or to taste (divided)
Group-1
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 large garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (less if preferred)
- 2 pinches fennel seeds (crushed lightly), refer notes
Group-2
- 1 and ½ cups marinara sauce (I used Prego, tomato basil & garlic)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup water
- ½ to 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Group-3
- ¼ to ½ cup parmesan
- Chopped fresh basil
- ½ pound bow tie pasta, cooked according to package instructions
Instructions
Cook chicken
1. Heat 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over high heat.
2. Add chicken and a dash of salt, spread into a single layer, cook for 2 to 3 minutes, turn over and cook for additional 2 minutes.
3. Remove chicken onto to a plate (chicken will not be fully cooked).
Make Sauce
1. Reduce heat to low-medium, add more olive oil and all group-1 ingredients and a dash of salt. Cook stirring constantly for about 3 minutes, until onion begins to get translucent.
2. Increase heat to medium, stir in all group-2 ingredients, salt and cooked chicken (along with any accumulated juices). Cook for 7-9 minutes, until chicken is cooked and sauce has thickened (stirring occasionally).
3. Toss in cooked pasta, grated parmesan and fresh basil.
Enjoy !
Notes
Salt - Depends on the type of marinara sauce used and your taste. Use accordingly.
Pasta – I used bow tie pasta, but any cooked pasta may be used.
Marinara sauce – Use your favorite brand ( I used Prego, tomato basil and garlic )
Fennel seeds – Lightly crush the fennel seeds (with a meat mallet / back of a pan / mortar and pestle
Spiciness – If you are new to spicy food, then we recommend reducing red pepper flakes and black pepper.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 547Total Fat: 35gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 22gCholesterol: 175mgSodium: 942mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gProtein: 34g
I am not a certified dietician or nutritionist. You are ultimately responsible for all decisions pertaining to your health. This information is provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is a product of online calculator such as Nutrifox.com.. Although Kitchen at Hoskins attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their fact sources and algorithms. Under no circumstances will Kitchen at Hoskins be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on the nutritional information. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
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Dani
My family loved this chicken dish. I cut up the chicken breasts before putting them in the slow cooker so it didn't need to cook as long. I tried the variation and added the pinto beans so it was enough for us to eat for 2 nights. Yummy!
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