Chipotle Chicken Pasta

My take on the Cheesecake Factory favorite with a dairy free option.  I finally understand what all the hype is about.  This is tasty stuff.

SPICY, SWEET, CREAMY DELICIOUSNESS

This dish checks the boxes with sweet heat, creamy sauce, decadent pasta and protein packed chicken.  You can easily substitute shrimp for chicken as a glorious seafood variation. 
If you have small ones, you may want to cut back on the adobo sauce, but I’ve met very few kiddos that didn’t love pasta and chicken.

MY INGREDIENTS ARE PREPPED AND READY. SO IMPORTANT IN TIME SAVING MEALS

I personally love sweet with heat so any combination thereof has me singing its praises.  The spicy sweet caramelization on the bits of chicken are a sonnet in your mouth, then the creamy sauce and tortellini just round out this taste symphony.  Ok, enough with the musical analogies.  It’s just plain good.  I mean,  really good.


This lovely combo is also quite easy to put together and requires one skillet only.  Simplicity and minimal cooking vessel utilization bumps this up on the weeknight dinner winner scale.
​

Chipotle Chicken Pasta
Serves 4-6


2 skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut in larger bite sized pieces
1/2 white or yellow onion, diced
1 red, orange or yellow bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 Tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce that you’ve blended into a sauce (*see note)
1 1/2 cup Cashew cream (see below) or regular cream or half & half
1/2 cup frozen Peas
Asparagus (optional), about 8 spears that you’ve par cooked and chopped in 1 inch pieces
2 Tablespoons honey
Salt & pepper to taste
2-3 cups cooked and drained tortellini (I used 4 cheese tortellini for this), or cooked pasta of choice
2 Tablespoons olive oil, halved
2 Tablespoons butter, halved
Chopped parsley for garnish






Heat half of the olive oil and butter in large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and pepper with a pinch of salt and grinding of pepper and cook until tender.  Add in garlic during the last minute and combine.  Remove veggies from skillet and set aside.  


Add in the remainder of the oil and butter, increase heat to medium high and then add chicken.  Season with salt & pepper. And let cook until chicken is nearly cooked through and golden.  Add adobo sauce and honey and stir through.  Saute until chicken is cooked through.
Add cashew cream, peas and tortellini and heat through.
Top with a sprinkling of parsley and serve.






*Note- Whenever I buy a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, I add the whole lot to a mini blender or food processor and blitz until it’s a smooth sauce.  You can add a bit of olive oil if needed to make a more pourable consistency,  Keep this in a small container in the fridge and it lasts a good long while.  You’ll be more prone to use it in things as it’s ready to go.  No chopping required.


Cashew Cream
1 cup raw cashews
1 1/2 cup water


In a blender carafe, combine the cashews and water and let soak for about 2 hours or overnight until cashews are soft.  Blitz away until very creamy.  Store in the refrigerator for up to a week or use immediately.