I'm a huge proponent of eating frequently at The Cheesecake Factory; they can just get every dish down top-notch and get five-stars every time I've had the food, not to forget their most beloved food mascot: the amazing cheesecakes. That being said, I feel like their spicy chicken chipotle pasta is a bit of an underdog when it comes to the hype. I don't hear a lot of people talking about it but it is just as amazing if not more delicious than the other pastas they have on offering. It has the most sumptuous honey-glazed chicken mixed in with asparagus, crispy tortilla sticks and a sweet, smokey, spicy lip-smacking chipotle sauce. If you haven't happen to catch this on the blog before, I love
tangy dishes, especialy those which have a bit of
spicy and sweet.
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Long story short, my friend originally ordered this from The Cheesecake Factory first whilst we all ordered something else. On a side note, their Baja Chicken Tacos and Bistro Shrimp are delectable too. However, following tasting this dish from my friend, I was hooked.
The home-made version can easily be called a copycat recipe-except that I didn't really have Penne pasta on hand which is what is used in the original dish as well as any asparagus. If you can get those two ingredients right, then it's pretty much a copycat recipe. I had elbow macaroni available and green beans instead of asparagus so that is what I used.
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The Cheescake Factory inspired: Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta
Serves: 4-6 people
Total time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
300g Pasta of choice (Penne is best but I had elbow macaroni available)
For the chicken marinade:
1. 450g chicken fillet in bite sized chunks
2. 1 tbsp distilled vinegar/lemon juice
3. 2 tbsp smoked chipotle seasoning
4. 1 tbsp honey
5. Salt and pepper to taste
For the sauce:
1. 3 tbsp unsalted butter
2. 1 small onion chopped
3. 1-2 bellpeppers chopped (in a mix of different colors for vibrancy)
4. Mixed frozen vegetables (the original dish calls for steaming asparagus separately and just peas for added veggies)
5. 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
6. 1/5th cup chipotle sauce
7. 2 tbsp smoked chipotle seasoning
7. 2 cups heavy cream (or substitute with half and half to make a lighter version)
8. 3 tbsp honey (or more depending on how sweet you'd like to go)
9. Whole Milk (optional)
10. Salt (to taste)
11. 150-200 g parmesan cheese + additional grated for garnish
12. Parsley flakes, dried for garnish
13. Crispy Tortilla chips, for garnish
Directions:
1. Begin by cooking your pasta according to the directions on the package and keeping aside.
2. In a separate bowl, mix in the chicken chunks with the rest of the marinade ingredients and let sit for 10 minutes. Meanwhile prepare the veggies.
3. Add the butter to a non-stick sauce pan and toss in the chicken chunks flipping as needed till the surface is golden brown and cooked through.
4. Take out the chicken and keep aside. Do not clean the pan as the crusty bits from cooking the chicken give a ton of flavor. Add any additional butter if needed, otherwise toss in the bell peppers and onion, frying till translucent.
5. Add in the garlic next and fry it till it turns golden and becomes fragrant. Add the rest of the mixed vegetables until they slightly soften and then re-add the chicken back in the pan.
6. Next, mix in the two tablespoons of chipotle seasoning and the chipotle sauce and coat thoroughly. You might want to add slightly more or less depending on the heat you'd like. We love the heat to be moderately high but not too much.
7. Add in the whipped cream and bring to a boil. This is also when the sauce thickens. Add in the parmesan cheese next and keep an eye on how thick you want the sauce to go. If you find the sauce to be too thick, add in a dash of the milk to thin it down. Personally, I love the consistency of the sauce from The Cheesecake Factory. It isn't too thick that weighs your palate down but on the thinner yet still very creamy side.
The sauce will thicken a lot more once the heat has been turned off which is something else to keep in mind when adding the milk.
8. Sprinkle on the salt according to taste and give it a final mix.
Mix in the pasta with the sauce. For plating, spoon in the creamy pasta on to the dish. Grate some extra parmesan on top and add in the crispy tortilla sticks right in the center. My tortilla chips were pre-seasoned from the package as well which made the experience so much more flavor and the crunch twice as satisfying. Finish with a sprinkling of parsley flakes and serve immediately.
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Honestly, I cannot even begin to describe the sheer, mesmerizing delight the flavors of this dish bring to me. They are so addictive which is why I'm happy I now have a homemade version and my wallet does not have to cry because The Cheesecake Factory is not exactly the most budget-friendly place to begin with :)
I also love that you can change up the protein and use the same marinade for shrimp or fish and it would still be delicious. I think I might give a try with honey-glazed shrimps next time because I adore shrimp pasta.
It is seriously ridiculous how tasty a little bit of sweet, spicy and smokey can combine to make something so irresistible. Remember though, portion sizes are very important :D
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