Jalapeño Popper Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Spicy, creamy pasta with tender chicken, jalapeños, cheeses, and crunchy breadcrumbs.

# Components:

→ 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 - 1/2 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 - 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (30 g)
13 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
14 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (30 g)

→ Seasonings

15 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
16 - 1/2 tsp salt
17 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - Melt 2 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and jalapeños, sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute.
04 - Lower heat to low. Stir in cream cheese until melted and smooth, then gradually whisk in whole milk.
05 - Incorporate cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, stirring until fully melted and creamy. Season sauce with smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
06 - Fold cooked chicken and drained pasta into the cheese sauce, mixing until evenly coated.
07 - Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading evenly.
08 - Mix panko breadcrumbs, melted butter, and grated Parmesan in a bowl. Sprinkle evenly over pasta mixture.
09 - Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes until topping is golden and pasta is bubbling.
10 - Optionally garnish with additional chopped jalapeños. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes indulgent and restaurant-worthy but comes together faster than you'd think.
  • The heat builds slowly instead of hitting all at once, so even people nervous about spice end up asking for seconds.
  • One baking dish means minimal cleanup, which feels like a small victory on busy nights.
02 -
  • Don't overcook the pasta in the boiling water because it keeps cooking in the oven—I learned this the hard way with a mushy batch that haunts me still.
  • Cream cheese needs gentle heat to stay smooth; if your pan is too hot, it breaks and gets grainy, and no amount of whisking fixes that.
  • The panko topping is what keeps this from tasting like a regular creamy pasta, so don't skip it or try to make it healthier by leaving it off.
03 -
  • Grating your own cheese from a block melts smoother and creates a richer sauce than pre-shredded cheese, which has anti-caking powder that interferes with the melt.
  • Don't skip the smoked paprika—those three letters do more for flavor depth than any single ingredient, and it's what makes people ask what your secret is.
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