Jalapeño Popper Chicken Pasta (Print)

Tender chicken and jalapeños blend with creamy cheeses and crunchy topping in a comforting pasta dish.

# 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 - 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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and jalapeños, cooking for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
04 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in cream cheese until fully melted and smooth. Gradually whisk in whole milk until incorporated.
05 - Add shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, stirring continuously until cheese is melted and sauce is creamy. Season the mixture with smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
06 - Fold cooked chicken and drained pasta into the cheese sauce, ensuring even coating.
07 - Transfer the combined mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
08 - In a small bowl, mix panko breadcrumbs with melted butter and grated Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle this topping evenly over the pasta mixture.
09 - Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the pasta is bubbly.
10 - Optionally garnish with additional chopped jalapeños. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes indulgent and restaurant-worthy but comes together in under an hour with minimal fuss.
  • The heat builds gently—it's not aggressive, just a warm, lingering tingle that keeps you reaching for another forkful.
  • One dish, minimal cleanup, and everyone at the table genuinely wants seconds.
02 -
  • Don't skip softening the cream cheese first—if you add cold cream cheese to the skillet, it'll seize into weird clumps that take forever to smooth out.
  • The pasta will continue cooking in the oven, so keeping it just barely al dente at the boiling stage prevents mushy noodles in the final dish.
  • If your sauce looks too thick after adding the cheese, whisk in a little more milk a splash at a time—it's easier to thin it than to thicken it back up.
03 -
  • Brown the panko breadcrumbs in the melted butter for a minute on the stovetop before sprinkling them on—they'll toast and become even more golden in the oven.
  • If you accidentally cook the pasta too soft, the dish isn't ruined, but it'll be softer overall; next time, err on the side of undercooking by a full minute.
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