Creamy Jalapeño Popper Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Rich pasta with chicken, bacon, and creamy jalapeño cheese sauce

# What You’ll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 cups cooked shredded chicken, rotisserie or poached
02 - 6 slices bacon, chopped

→ Pasta

03 - 12 oz short pasta such as elbow macaroni or penne

→ Vegetables and Aromatics

04 - 2 to 3 fresh jalapeños, seeded and diced
05 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Dairy and Cheese

07 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened
08 - 1 cup whole milk
09 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
10 - ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

→ Seasonings

11 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - ½ teaspoon salt, plus additional for pasta water
13 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnishes

14 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or green onions
15 - Sliced fresh jalapeño

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving about 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the skillet.
03 - Add the chopped onion and diced jalapeños to the skillet. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
04 - Add the softened cream cheese, stirring until melted and smooth. Pour in the milk gradually, whisking to create a creamy sauce.
05 - Stir in the cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses until melted and sauce is smooth. Season with smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
06 - Add the shredded chicken and half of the cooked bacon to the sauce. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes until heated through.
07 - Toss in the cooked pasta, adding reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce to your preferred consistency.
08 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
09 - Serve hot, garnished with remaining bacon, chopped chives or green onions, and extra jalapeño slices if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The creamy sauce clings to every piece of pasta in a way that makes you forget about heavy cream entirely.
  • It comes together in under 45 minutes, which means weeknight dinner without the takeout guilt.
  • That jalapeño heat builds slowly and plays beautifully against the bacon and cheese, so it feels gourmet but tastes like home.
02 -
  • If you add the milk all at once instead of gradually, the cream cheese can seize and you'll end up with a grainy sauce that no amount of stirring will fix.
  • The pasta water is not an afterthought—it's your insurance policy for keeping the sauce the right consistency as things cool slightly after plating.
03 -
  • Always taste the sauce before adding the pasta because it's much easier to adjust seasoning with just sauce than with pasta already mixed in.
  • If you're making this ahead, store it in the fridge and reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of milk to restore the creamy texture.
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