This is a creamy, slightly spicy pasta with tender chicken, sautéed peppers, and a rich cheddar sauce. It’s super flavorful and comes together in one pan once everything is prepped.

Ingredients (serves about 4)

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green or yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
12 oz penne pasta
½ to ¾ cup reserved pasta water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup tomato paste
1 cup heavy cream
1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese

Seasonings
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
¾ teaspoon salt, divided
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne according to package directions. Reserve about ½ to ¾ cup of the pasta water before draining.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and season with half of the chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes until fully cooked, then remove from the pan.

If needed, add a little more oil to the pan and add the sliced peppers and onion. Season with the remaining salt and black pepper. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until softened, then remove from the pan.

Lower the heat to medium and add the butter. Once melted, stir in the tomato paste and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Pour in the heavy cream and add the remaining chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and crushed red pepper flakes if using. Stir and let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the shredded cheddar cheese and stir until melted and smooth.

Add the cooked pasta, chicken, and peppers back into the pan. Pour in about ½ cup of the reserved pasta water and toss everything together until creamy. Add more pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.

TIPS

Reserve your pasta water before draining, it helps make the sauce smooth and creamy.

You can adjust the spice level by adding more or less crushed red pepper.

Best served warm, but it reheats really well.