Jalapeño Popper Chicken Pasta (Printable Version)

Creamy pasta with tender chicken, jalapeños, cheeses, and crunchy panko topping.

# What You'll 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
09 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
10 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
11 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter

→ Topping

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

→ Seasonings

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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - Boil salted water in a large pot. Cook the pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
03 - In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add the onion and jalapeños, cooking for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook for an additional minute.
04 - Lower the heat to low. Add the cream cheese to the skillet and stir until melted and smooth. Gradually whisk in the whole milk until the sauce is well combined.
05 - Add shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses to the sauce, stirring until completely melted and creamy. Season with smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
06 - Fold the cooked chicken and drained pasta into the cheese sauce, mixing until evenly coated.
07 - Transfer the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading evenly.
08 - In a small bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs, melted butter, and grated Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the pasta.
09 - Bake uncovered for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the topping turns golden brown and sauce is bubbly.
10 - Optionally garnish with extra chopped jalapeños for added heat. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours cooking, but comes together in under 45 minutes total.
  • The creamy sauce clings to every piece of pasta while the jalapeños give you just enough heat to keep things interesting.
  • That crispy, buttery breadcrumb topping is honestly the best part—it adds texture that makes people ask for seconds.
02 -
  • Don't skip softening the cream cheese first—cold cream cheese will seize up and clump instead of melting smoothly into the sauce.
  • Undercooked pasta is your friend here because it continues cooking in the oven, and there's nothing worse than mushy pasta.
  • If your sauce seems too thick after adding the cheeses, add a splash more milk—it's easier to thin it out than thicken it back up.
03 -
  • Use fresh jalapeños from the farmers market if you can—they're meatier and less watery than the ones that have been sitting around.
  • The breadcrumb topping is what makes this feel special, so don't skip it or use stale breadcrumbs.
  • If your sauce breaks or becomes grainy, remove it from heat, let it cool slightly, and whisk in a splash of cold milk.
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