Creamy Chicken Chili Pasta (2024)

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Updated: Jun 22nd 2021 • Published: May 16th 2019 • 11 Comments

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4.37 from 33 votes

This Creamy Chicken Chili Pasta is comfort food with a kick. This simple dish packs a punch whilst still delivering a creamy comforting dinner.

Tomato cream sauces are always a big hit and this one is perked up with some garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. So easy to make and quick, you can have this dish on the table in just 20 minutes!

The sauce is thick, rich and has the wonderful spicy kick that will make you go back for more.

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It pasta time again!!! You knew it was coming, I mean there have been at least 2 recipes since my last pasta dinner!

And today we have something so creamy and delicious going on. A spicy creamy dinner that is on the table in under 30 minutes.

This is the perfect sofa dinner, you know the ones, when the new season has just arrived on netflix and you want to binge on the sofa, lifting the spoon/fork to your mouth without having to worry about cutting up your food!

For other Netflix Binge Foods check out:

Easy Creamy Four Cheese Pasta
Ground Beef Philly Cheesesteaks Sandwiches
Chicken Sausage, White Bean and Kale Soup
Takeout Style Chinese Beef and Broccoli
Lentil Soup with Lemon and Rosemary
Peri Peri Chicken Breast Burger
Cauliflower Cheese Chicken Fritters
Pasta with Chicken Broth, Butter and Parmesan

How to make a Creamy Chili Pasta Sauce

The creamy chili sauce starts with a can of chopped tomatoes, which are cooked with red pepper flakes, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper to make a nice rich tomato sauce.

Then at the end of cooking some heavy cream is added. This works to mellow out the spices and turns your rich chili tomato sauce into a creamy chili sauce.

Pro Tip: Although heavy cream is pretty robust don’t let it come to a rapid boil as you could cause the creamy red pasta sauce to split. It just needs to simmer gently.

How to cook the chili chicken for the sauce.

The chicken is sprinkled with red pepper flakes and then cooked over high heat so it gets some great color and the charred edges, this adds depth to the sauce. Plus cooking the chicken over a high heat also helps to stop it drying out.

Which chicken to use for pasta sauce?

I use chicken breast for this recipe as it cooks quickly, but this is equally delicious with chicken thighs. They will need further cooking to ensure they are cooked through and juicy.

Start the chicken before you put the pasta on and cook for 10 minutes.

I LOVE Spicy Pasta.

If you want to add more heat then you can easily add extra red pepper flakes into the sauce. Start with an extra ¼ teaspoon and then taste the sauce. Remember it will be tamed down by the heavy cream.

For even more heat try adding a sprinkling of cayenne pepper to the finished dish.

What to serve with Creamy Chili Chicken Pasta

Side: Serve this Creamy Chicken Chili Pasta with a peppery rocket and parmesan salad. The rocket will compliment the red pepper flakes whilst the parmesan will work well with the cream in the sauce.
Or serve this with fresh warm bread, perfect for mopping up any extra creamy red sauce!

Wine: This chili pasta needs a wine that can stand up to the heat. So go for a medium-dry wine like a Riesling or a Moscato d’Asti. Ideally, serve them well-chilled. For those preferring a red then go for a Barbera or a Zinfandel.

Enjoy x

Get the Recipe

Creamy Chicken Chili Pasta Recipe

Claire | Sprinkle and Sprouts

This Creamy Chicken Chili Pasta is comfort food with a kick. This simple dish packs a punch whilst still delivering a creamy comforting dinner. Tomato cream sauces are always a big hit and this one is perked up with some garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. So easy to make and quick, you can have this dish on the table in just 20 minutes! The sauce is thick, rich and has the wonderful spicy kick that will make you go back for more.

4.37 from 33 votes

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Main

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4

Calories 583 kcal

Ingredients

For the Chicken

2 chicken breasts
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes - see note 1
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the pasta and Sauce

12 oz pasta - rigatoni/penne
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon brown sugar
4 garlic cloves minced
1 can diced tomato (14.5 oz/400g can)
½ teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
1 cup heavy cream
fresh basil

Instructions

Cut the chicken up into small bite-sized pieces and season with the red pepper flakes and the olive oil. Set aside.
Bring a big pan of water to the boil, salt it generously and add the pasta and cook for 2 minutes less than the packet suggests. (It will cook for longer in the sauce)
Place a heavy skillet over high heat and once it is hot add the chicken. Cook the chicken quickly until golden brown with the odd charred edge, it doesn't need to be cooked through as it will finish cooking in the sauce.
Reduce the heat under the skillet then add the extra oil, brown sugar and the crushed garlic and spinkle with a little salt and pepper. Stir well and then pour in the can of diced tomatoes, the dried basil, and additional red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes or until the pasta has cooked.
Once the pasta is cooked, reserve a cup of the cooking water and then drain.
Add the pasta and cream to the tomato and stir everything together until well coated, thinning the sauce with pasta water as needed. (usually ¼-½ cup is needed)
Cook the pasta over high heat for two minutes or until the cream has heated through and the sauce has thickened around the pasta. Add extra pasta water if needed.
Serve garnished with fresh basil

Notes

Add an extra ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes if you like it extra spicy.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Nutrition

Nutrition is per serving

For more great recipes follow me on PinterestFollow @sprinklessprout

More Main Dishes

Curried Chicken Breasts
Moroccan Chicken Breasts
Chicken Pomodoro
Tuscan Chicken Meatballs with Gnocchi

Reader Interactions

Comments

Annon says
May 28, 2022 at 4:51 am

Your US to metric conversion has an error - 1 cup heavy cream is about 240ml, not 125ml
Reply
- Claire McEwen says
  May 28, 2022 at 8:32 am
  
  Thank you, I will update that 🙂
  Cx
  Reply
Chandler says
May 13, 2022 at 7:38 am

THIS IS THE BEST PASTA EVER. My boyfriend and I make this all the time (probably too often). Thank you so much for sharing!!
Reply
- Claire McEwen says
  May 23, 2022 at 1:28 pm
  
  So happy you love it so much 🙂
  Cx
  Reply
Nisa Melis says
January 23, 2021 at 6:39 pm

I made it today, added some extra spices because i like having a variety of them in my food. Its a really good recipe, 10/10 reccomend
Reply
Deanne Smothers says
August 25, 2020 at 2:57 am

I’ve made your recipe more than once and I really love it. I usually triple or quadruple the recipe so my family can have two meals out of it. I highly recommend this recipe.🥰
Reply
Alisha Doring says
May 04, 2020 at 4:26 pm

This was absolutely fantastic! My partner and I loved it! Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
Reply
- Claire McEwen says
  May 08, 2020 at 3:45 pm
  
  You are so welcome Alisha, I am so pleased you enjoyed it 🙂
  Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment.
  Cx
  Reply
Kateena innis says
May 24, 2019 at 9:34 pm

I’m trying this tomorrow!!!! Nice and amazing recipe shared by you, thank you so much for that.
Reply
- Claire McEwen says
  May 25, 2019 at 9:43 am
  
  I hope you enjoy it Kateena 😀
  Reply
molly says
May 22, 2019 at 5:16 pm

This looks so tasty! I will definitely need to try it soon.
Reply

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