My take on a lighter version of the Cheesecake Factory Spicy Chipotle Pasta made with penne pasta and honey glazed chicken cooked with veggies in a very unique Chipotle Parmesan Cream Sauce. I can’t exactly call this a copycat because I don’t use cream, but it’s pretty close!
About Spicy Chipotle Chicken Pasta
Believe it or not, the first time I ever went to Cheesecake Factory was when I was 22 years old… which is basically a few months ago. Upon first glance at the menu, everything looked super overpriced and honestly super basic. We were so confused that we just got a Cesar Salad and two pastas : some tomato thing that was not that good and the spicy chipotle pasta. Now I’ve had a lot of pastas in my life but the chipotle pasta just brought something very different to the table. The Spicy Chipotle Pasta was essentially penne pasta and honey glazed chicken cooked with asparagus and bell peppers in a very unique Chipotle Parmesan Cream Sauce. And although it was very delicious, it was a little too heavy for my preferences. I couldn’t eat as much as I wanted to because I got so full so fast. And I also don’t like celery or peas, so I set out of on a journey to recreate a lighter version at home with vegetables I’ll actually eat.
Ways We Are Making it Healthier
- Firstly, we are swapping the cream for a milk based sauce. This basically makes the meal lighter and also allows that chipotle flavor to shine through better. To get that creamy texture we play off of a technique using flour and butter to form a roux that will help thicken the milk.
- Swapping chicken thighs for chicken breast : I’m a huge fan of chicken thigh because of their texture. But for the purpose of making this a lighter option for meal prep, chicken breast makes for a great swap in this recipe. The focus of the recipe is not so much on highlighting chicken so this doesn’t make a big difference in this recipe.
- Adding in more veggies : Although we make some swaps for veggies, a huge focus of this recipe is the veggies. By increasing the quantity of veggies, we add more fiber into this dish, making it more filling and satiating.
How to Make it Vegetarian
You can very easily make this meal vegetarian, and I do often! The original version at Cheesecake Factory is made with chicken, but you can swap it for pressed firm tofu or a vegan meat substitute. The process will be pretty much the same for those two swaps!
If you try this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a rating below. To be featured, you can also tag me on my Instagram!
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Healthy Cheesecake Factory Chipotle Chicken Pasta
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 3 Meals 1x
Description
My take on a lighter version of the Cheesecake Factory Spicy Chipotle Pasta made with penne pasta and honey glazed chicken cooked with veggies in a very unique Chipotle Parmesan Cream Sauce. I can’t exactly call this a copycat because I don’t use cream, but it’s pretty close!
Ingredients
- 5 oz pasta, dry
Sauce Base
- 1.50 tbsp All-purpose flour
- 2 tsp water
- 4 tsp Butter
- 4 Cloves of Garlic, minced
- 1.5 Cup 2% White Milk
- 2 Chipotle Peppers In Adobo Sauce
- 4 tbsp adobo sauce (from the same can as the chipotle peppers)
- 1/2 tsp chili powder (I add 1 cause I like spicy)
- 2 tsp italian seasoning
- 1 tsp paprika
- Salt, to taste
- 1/4 cup part skim mozzarella cheese
Veggies
- 1 tsp oil
- 1 Bell Pepper, chopped small
- 7 mushrooms, thinly sliced
Honey Glazed Chicken
- 5 oz chicken breast, cubed **vegetarian swap : pressed firm tofu
- 1/2 tsp Garlic powder
- 1/2 paprika
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken : add the cubed chicken to a bowl and mix with the ingredients under the “honey glazed chicken” section of the ingredients EXCEPT the honey. Set aside.
- Sauté the vegetables : heat the oil in a saucepan and add the mushrooms. Sauté for 1 minute until the mushrooms soften and release some moisture. Add the chopped bell pepper and sauté everything for 3-4 minutes until everything gets softened. Set aside in a bowl
- Cook the chicken : to the same saucepan, add the chicken and sauté for a few minutes until completely cooked through. If stuff get’s stuck to the pan, add a small splash of water to bring all the flavor back to the chicken. Add the honey and cook for an additional minute. Set aside in a bowl.
- Bring a pot of water to boil for the pasta on the side. Once it comes to a boil, add the pasta and cook to al dente or as soft as you would like.
- Make the Roux : To a saucepan, add the butter and let it melt. Then, add the minced garlic and sauté until you can can smell that nice garlic aroma. Add in the all purpose flour and 2 tsp of water. Let it form a paste.
- Make the sauce : Add 1/2 cup of milk. Let it thicken and if there are any clumps use your spatula to smash down any clumps. Then, add in the remaining 1 cup of milk. To this, add the chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, chili powder and paprika. Cook on medium heat and let it thicken into a creamy sauce. Add salt to taste, the sautéed veggies from before, cheese and cooked pasta. Stir to combine and if it looks a little watery, let it cook until it thickens up. Turn off the heat and add the chicken.
- Stir everything together and serve immediately. If you are planning to meal prep this, separate into 3 boxes and store in the refrigerator. Heat up before eating!
Make sure to take a picture and tag me on Instagram @eatsbyramya or DM it to get featured!
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 25
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Meal Prep
- Cuisine: Mexican Italian Fusion
This pasta is so easy to put together but the taste is chef’s kiss!!
My whole family loves this pasta. A true copycat recipe of the Cheesecake Factory. Thanks to you!
★★★★★
I made a huge batch of this tonight so we’d have leftovers through the weekend and I am SO excited. I always just use whatever noodle type we have on hand, and sometimes will throw in a handful or two of spinach to add some more green. Measuring out the ingredients beforehand makes this recipe super easy