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A spicy chicken pasta recipe with zucchini, bell peppers, jalapenos, and tomatoes. This is a small batch recipe that makes 2-3 large servings, or four smaller servings of spicy chicken pasta.

Spicy, creamy pasta recipes are an easy sell. There’s something so comforting about them, especially when they’re packed with a few summer vegetables (because then they don’t feel quite as indulgent, right? 🙂 ) This is not a new recipe, but rather a recipe of mine that’s about eight years old, and while it was charming, it needed a very serious upgrade.

Staying true to small batch recipes, this makes about two to three servings of spicy chicken bowtie (farfalle) pasta, depending on how hungry you are. The heat in this pasta recipe comes from fresh jalapeno and a LOT of crushed red pepper (or chili flakes, whatever you want to call them), but the creamy sauce abates the heat just a tad. Spicy food lovers, this one is for you.

A large bowl full of spicy chicken bowtie pasta mixed with fresh summer vegetables.

This is a great recipe for busy weeknights. It’s truly Mark’s favorite pasta, and it has the perfect level of spice to be spicy without being overwhelming. We love a solid creamy chicken pasta, but add a little heat to it, and it’s next level in my opinion.

Ingredients:

6 oz. dry Farfalle Pasta (Bowtie Pasta)
1 large Chicken Breast (about 8 oz.)
2 tsp. Cajun Seasoning (I love Slap Ya Mama)
2 tsp. Avocado Oil (or olive oil)
1/2 cup diced Orange Bell Pepper, stem and seeds removed
2/3 cup thinly sliced Zucchini
2 tbsp. Minced Jalapeno, seeds and membranes removed for a milder version
1/3 cup diced Tomato (or halved cherry tomatoes)
1/3 cup chopped Green Onions, divided
2 tsp. Tomato Paste
1 Garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, plus more for serving
1 cup Half and Half (or heavy cream)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese, plus more for serving
Salt and freshly cracked Black Pepper

Ingredient Notes:

Chicken Breast: Boneless, skinless chicken breast is my recommendation. You can use boneless chicken thighs if preferred.

Cajun Seasoning: Slap Ya Mama is one of my favorite Cajun Seasonings for this recipe. It’s salty (most are), so I don’t add any additional salt to the chicken when seasoning it. If you’re using a Cajun Seasoning from McCormick, or a less salty Cajun seasoning, be sure to sprinkle the chicken with salt before cooking it, too.

Tomato: Any small tomato (roma tomato, on-the-vine tomato, or heirloom tomato) is perfect for this recipe. Cherry tomatoes are a great substitute, too. If you prefer to use cherry tomatoes, cut them in half or quarters.

Orange Bell Pepper: Any bell pepper will work for this recipe. Green bell pepper isn’t as sweet as orange, yellow, or red peppers – but it’s still delicious with the other ingredients! I prefer the sweetness of an orange or red bell pepper in this pasta, personally.

Zucchini: You can truly use as much zucchini as you like in this recipe. For a typical-sized zucchini (one that is about the same size as all of the rest at the store), I recommend using anywhere from 1/4 to 1/3 of it. If you happen to find a tiny one, use at least half of it. Cut it into thin slices, then cut those slices in half or quarters, whatever you prefer. Get wild and use the whole thing if you want!

Half and Half: I use this solely based on the fact that it is less caloric than heavy cream. Truth be told, heavy cream is a great substitution in this recipe. It’s thicker, richer, and has more flavor. Use whichever option you prefer!

Farfalle (Bowtie Pasta): I love this pasta shape for this recipe. If you’re not feeling it though, feel free to use penne pasta, macaroni shells, or your favorite small pasta instead!

A large bowl full of creamy, spicy chicken pasta with farfalle noodles, chicken breast, zucchini, bell peppers, tomatoes, and so much flavor.

How to Make Spicy Chicken Pasta

Directions

Season chicken with 1/2 tsp. Cajun seasoning per side. Set the seasoned chicken aside to rest at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes while you chop the vegetables.
After the chicken rests, heat the avocado oil in a large, nonstick pan over medium heat. Cook chicken in the oil for about 4-5 minutes per side until it has a crusty browned exterior and the internal temperature reaches 165 F. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
In the same pan, cook sliced zucchini, chopped bell pepper, and minced jalapeños for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Scrape any browned bits from the pan into the veggies as they cook.
Add tomatoes, green onions, tomato paste, and a pinch of salt to the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Start boiling the farfalle (bowtie) pasta in salted water around this time, and cook the pasta until al dente, which is about one minute less than the package directions call for (usually 10-12 minutes for farfalle pasta). (The pasta should finish around the same time as the creamy sauce).
Stir garlic and crushed red pepper into the pan with the cooked vegetables, and cook for 1 minute. Turn the heat beneath the pan to medium-low, stir in half and half, and bring to a gentle simmer. Allow the half and half to gently simmer for 6-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Add the cooked farfalle pasta to the pan and toss to coat in the spicy cream sauce. Grate in parmesan cheese and stir to combine. Don’t discard the pasta water! Add pasta water, a tablespoon or two at a time, and continue mixing everything together until the sauce is as creamy as you like it!
Divide the pasta between warm bowls, and serve immediately with more crushed red pepper, green onions, and parmesan cheese on top.

Step-by-Step Directions

See below for step-by-step photos and directions. These directions are a little more specific, and walk you through the entire process of making this Spicy Chicken Pasta recipe.

A white plate with a seasoned chicken breast resting on it.

A large skillet with a cooked chicken breast resting in the middle of it.

Steps 1 & 2: Season the chicken breast all over with the Cajun seasoning. Let the chicken hang out at room temperature for about ten minutes while you prep all of the other ingredients. Then heat the avocado oil in a large, non-stick pan over medium heat. Cook the chicken for about 4-5 minutes per side until a lightly brown crust forms on parts of it, and the internal temperature reaches 165 F. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

A large skillet filled with sliced zucchini, orange bell pepper, and minced jalapeno.

A large skillet filled with cooked sliced zucchini, orange bell pepper, and minced jalapeno.

Step 3: Add the thinly sliced zucchini, diced bell peppers, and minced jalapeños to the same pan. Cook for 6-7 minute until softened, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan into the veggies as they cook. Note: The zucchini and peppers will release a lot of water as they cook, which makes it easier to scrape up any seasoning left from the chicken in the pan.

A large skillet full of cooked vegetables to make a spicy pasta recipe.

A large skillet with cooked vegetables, tomato paste, and minced garlic.

Step 4: Add chopped tomatoes, green onions, and tomato paste with a healthy pinch of salt. Cook for about five minutes, stirring occasionally and mashing the tomato paste into the other ingredients. While this part cooks, start boiling your pasta water (and make sure it’s salted!) Cook the pasta until al dente, which is about one minute less than the package directions call for, usually 10-12 minutes for dry farfalle pasta. (The pasta should finish around the same time as the creamy sauce).

Step 5: Stir in the minced garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook for one minute. (Garlic can taste bitter if it cooks for too long; that’s why it’s usually added after the other ingredients are cooked).

Half and half being poured from a glass measuring cup into a large skillet full of cooked vegetables.

Step 5 (continued): Pour in the half and half (or heavy cream if you decided to use that instead). Keep the heat at medium, but also keep a close eye on this sauce as it cooks and turn the heat down if it seems to be bubbling too aggressively as it cooks.

A large skillet full of cooked vegetables in a cream sauce being stirred with a wooden spoon.

Step 5 (still continued): Cook the half and half (or heavy cream) for about 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until it’s thick enough that you can slide your stirring utensil across the bottom of the pan to separate the sauce, and the sauce doesn’t run back together. Note: The pasta will add more liquid to the sauce, so if it seems really thick, it will loosen up once the pasta is added.

Bowtie pasta being transferred by a slotted spoon to a large skillet full of creamy sauce and cooked vegetables.

A large skillet full of creamy spicy chicken pasta with summer vegetables.

Step 6: Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked pasta into the pan with the vegetables and sauce. Stir to coat the pasta completely. Don’t discard the pasta water! Add pasta water, a tablespoon or two at a time, and continue mixing everything together until the sauce is as creamy as you like it!

A chunk of parmesan cheese being grated into a large skillet full of spicy chicken pasta with summer vegetables.

A large skillet full of spicy chicken farfalle pasta garnished with green onions and a wooden spoon positioned to scoop it out.

Step 6 (continued): Grate in parmesan cheese and stir to mix it in. Add as much as you like. 🙂 Stir in some chopped green onions and more crushed red pepper for added heat. Serve hot!

Recipe Notes:

It’s always a good idea to keep pasta water when making any pasta recipe. The water integrates with the sauce and helps it smooth out and adhere to the noodles.

How to Store and Reheat Creamy Spicy Pasta:

This pasta will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat this pasta dish in a small, nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Add a splash of chicken broth (or vegetable broth), or even a splash of water to loosen the cream sauce and help it coat the noodles.

OK, I see a lot of comments online that are like “oh my gosh, I don’t give me your life story on your recipe blog. Just give me a free recipe.” And if that’s why you’re here, that’s fine. However, I am a living, breathing, creative human and I put a LOT of work into creating these recipes, these photos, and this blog, so I think it’s fun to let you know a little back story on how these recipes are actually created. 🙂

Here’s an original snippet form this blog post when I first published it in 2015: “I didn’t learn to cook until after college. Weird, right? I moved to downtown Kansas City after college, within about a two minute walk of the biggest farmers market in the city. Having worked in food and beverage since high school, good, fresh food has always intrigued me. I just always had the luxury (or convenience) of eating from the restaurants where I worked, or ordering takeout on my days off. BUT things changed, I grew tired of doing that, and the incredibly fresh produce at the farmers market made me want to learn to cook. That’s when all of this began.

The first time I decided to get brave in the kitchen, I found myself wanting to cook a Cajun chicken pasta. Now, I was still pretty limited as far as any kind of technique or general knowledge in the kitchen is concerned, so I stuck to what I was comfortable with and went forth. Ever since that day, and my general success with this method, I have stuck to a creamy, spicy chicken bowties dish. It is super easy to throw together, extremely versatile (if you have people in your life that don’t care for certain veggies – just swap them or omit them altogether!). This particular version of my recipe is a pretty basic one. I urge you to throw in whatever you please, but this will be a good guide to get you the basic flavors and textures that I enjoy for this pasta. I would love to hear your thoughts on particularly good additions or flavor enhancements if you like!”

Thanks for coming along on that journey with me. 🙂 Anyway, back to what the world demands from recipe bloggers in this day and age.

Side Dish Ideas for Spicy Chicken Pasta:

More Small Batch Spicy Pasta Recipes:

If you make this Spicy Chicken Pasta recipe and love it, I would love it if you left a rating and comment below! If you have questions about any of the ingredients or the process, shoot me an email so I can get back to you ASAP. Tag me on Instagram if you post it, too!

xx Sara