Jalapeño Popper Chicken Pasta (Print Version)

A creamy, spicy pasta with tender chicken, jalapeños, rich cheeses, and a crispy breadcrumb topping.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or fusilli pasta
02 - Salt, for boiling water

→ Chicken

03 - 10 oz cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

04 - 2 fresh jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped
05 - ½ small onion, finely chopped
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Cheese & Dairy

07 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened
08 - 1 cup whole milk (240 ml)
09 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (115 g)
10 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (115 g)
11 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter

→ Topping

12 - ½ cup panko breadcrumbs (30 g)
13 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
14 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (30 g)

→ Seasonings

15 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
16 - ½ tsp salt
17 - ¼ tsp black pepper

# How To Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or oil.
02 - Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and jalapeños, cook until softened, about 3–4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
04 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in cream cheese until melted and smooth. Gradually whisk in milk, combining thoroughly.
05 - Mix in shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack until melted and creamy. Season with smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
06 - Fold cooked chicken and drained pasta into the cheese sauce until evenly coated.
07 - Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish. In a small bowl, combine panko, melted butter, and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle evenly atop the pasta mixture.
08 - Bake for 15–18 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the dish is bubbly.
09 - Optionally garnish with extra chopped jalapeños. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's creamy enough to feel indulgent but the jalapeños keep it from ever being boring.
  • The panko topping gives you that contrast between crispy and silky that makes people come back for seconds.
  • You can have dinner on the table in under an hour, and it tastes like you fussed over it.
02 -
  • Don't skip softening the cream cheese—it dissolves into the sauce instead of leaving little chunks that throw off the texture.
  • If your sauce looks too thick after you add the milk, you can thin it with a splash more milk; if it looks too thin, the cheese will thicken it up as it melts.
03 -
  • Don't let the cream cheese mixture boil once you add the milk—high heat makes it separate and look grainy and broken.
  • If you're cooking for someone who loves spice, add a small pinch of cayenne to the sauce itself for heat that builds throughout the bite.
Go Back