Spicy Chicken Pasta in Cream Cheese Sauce

My toddler loves pasta particularly spaghetti or “Noondles” in toddler language. It is wonderful to see your little one trying to chow down spaghetti making a huge mess. These days I cook Chicken Breast on weekends and use it in different recipes throughout the week. It is great to have cooked chicken in your fridge so that you can use it in your pasta, soups, sandwich and so on. I boil the chicken just like I do it for Chicken Salad. I have used the cooked chicken as well as the spicy broth in this recipe.

Here is the recipe for a spicy chicken pasta in a flavorful cream cheese sauce.  I have used Piri Piri hot sauce for an extra kick. We have been hooked onto Piri Piri sauce after Nando’s. This pasta is only lightly coated in sauce. The flavors from cream cheese and chicken broth make it wonderful. You can add more cream cheese for a heavier sauce. This sauce tastes similar to Alfredo Sauce except that it is lighter.

 

Ingredients

1. Pasta of your choice – 1 lb (I used Spaghetti)
2. Cooked Chicken Breasts – 3 cups (diced into medium sized pieces)
3. Diced Bell Peppers – 1 cup (I used both red and green varieties)
4. Diced Onions – 1 small
5. Chopped  Mushrooms – 1 cup
6. Minced Green Onions – 1/4 cup
7. Softened Cream Cheese – 1/4 cup
8. Chicken Broth – 1 cup
9. Milk – 1 cup
10. Piri Piri Sauce – 1/2 tsp (Use any hot sauce of your choice)
11. Black Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp
12. Garlic powder – 1/2 tsp
13. Butter – 2 tbsp
14. Salt – as needed
15. Sugar – 1 tsp

Preparation Method

1. Bring lightly salted water to a boil in a big pot. Cook pasta according to the instructions on the packet. Drain and keep aside.
2. While the pasta is cooking, heat 2 tbsp butter in a large saucepan and sauté the onions until translucent.
3. Throw in the mushrooms and bell peppers. Sauté on medium heat until cooked but firm.
4. Add the diced chicken breasts to the pan and sauté for a few more minutes.
5. Reduce heat and add black pepper powder, garlic powder and piri piri hot sauce.
6. Add the softened cream cheese, milk and chicken broth to the pan. Stir until the cream cheese melts and there are no lumps.
7. Add 1 tsp sugar and little salt to taste. Simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens.
8. Throw in the diced green onions to the pan.
9. Add the spaghetti to the pan and toss everything until the noodles are coated with the sauce.

Note

1. You can use store-bought chicken broth instead of homemade broth.
2. Instead of boiled chicken, you can bake, saute or grill chicken breasts. For an easier alternative, try rotisserie chicken.