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+ servings
close up spicy chicken pasta in an all clad skillet
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5 from 28 votes

Easy Spicy Chicken Pasta

This easy and healthy Spicy Chicken Pasta is the perfect weeknight dinner made in under 30 minutes!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: dinner
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 792kcal
Author: Dalya Rubin

Equipment

  • 1 large pot to cook pasta
  • 1 large skillet to make the sauce
  • 1 mixing spoon
  • 1 cutting board
  • 1 sharp knife

Ingredients

For the Chicken

  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts about 3 breast
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt I use Diamond Crystals
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika 
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder 
  • 1 teaspoon garlic chili sauce (or ½ teaspoon cayenne powder)
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder

For the Pasta

  • 12 ounce box pasta fettuccine or penne (gluten free) 
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon unsalted vegan butter
  • 1 medium onion quartered and cut into ½” slices 
  • 8 garlic cloves roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 teaspoon tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoon kosher salt I use Diamond Crystals
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • cup vegetable or chicken broth
  • cup canned coconut milk the full fat version, stirred
  • cup finely chopped parsley (½ ounce)
  • cup finely chopped cilantro (½ ounce)

Instructions

Make the chicken

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F and make sure the rack is in the center position in the oven. Line a baking sheet with foil. Grease the foil with oil or cooking spray. Set aside.
  • Pat chicken with a paper towel.
  • Trim any excess fat off the chicken pieces. If your chicken breasts have the tenders attached, carefully cut them off. Then, cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise so they’re split into 2 pieces. Place tenders and cut chicken halves into a large bowl.
  • Add the oil and spices to the bowl of chicken. Use your hands to rub everything together until the chicken is coated.
  • Place the spiced chicken onto the baking sheet in an even layer and bake in the center rack of the oven for 20-22 minutes, until the chicken reaches around 175°F to 195°F.
  • When the chicken is ready, allow it to cool for 8-10 minutes before slicing into ½" strips.

Make the Pasta

  • Fill a large pot with water and 1 tablespoon salt. Add pasta to the pot, stir and cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water for later. Strain the pasta. No need to rinse. Set aside.
  • In a large skillet with high sides, add the oil, butter and onion. Saute over medium-high heat for about 8 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking 2 minutes until fragrant.
  • Next, mix in the tomato paste, salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder and onion powder. Cook for 2 minutes.
  • Stir in the broth and coconut milk. Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes until thickened. Give it a mix at the end.
  • Keep the sauce on a low flame. Add the pasta, ½ cup reserved pasta cooking water, cooked chicken strips, parsley and cilantro to the pot of sauce and mix together. Cook 1-2 minutes as you toss the pasta to coat it in the sauce. I like to use kitchen tongs to toss everything together.

Notes

  • When using canned coconut milk in a recipe, be sure to stir it before measuring so the liquids and solids become evenly distributed. Then, measure the coconut milk for the recipe.
  • You can use any shaped pasta in the recipe. I love spaghetti or fettuccine here, but any will work! 
  • If you are vegan or vegetarian, you can substitute the chicken with hearty mushrooms or salmon. 
  • If you don't have garlic chili sauce (for the chicken), you can substitute with cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 792kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 58g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 146mg | Sodium: 2287mg | Potassium: 1127mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1171IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 4mg