Spicy Chicken Pasta - Ultimate One-Pot Meal!

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure.

Spicy, creamy, and flavor packed, this spicy chicken pasta is an easy to make dinner option that everyone in the family will love!

It wonderfully hearty, filling and the flavors are just out of this world. This recipe has been an absolute crowd pleaser over at our house and it's ready it under 30 minutes!

Creamy, tomatoey deliciousness is just what this dish is all about. I don't know about you guys, but this is the stuff that makes me happy.

Curling up with a big ole bowl of steaming, creamy deliciousness is the perfect way to comfort myself in any situation. Because who doesn't feel better after eating a giant bowl of creamy pasta? Well...

Now if you like dishes like this one, you'll definitely want to try these spicy pasta dishes too:

• Cajun shrimp and sausage pasta
• Creamy pumpkin pasta
• One pot Cajun pasta
• Chicken cordon bleu pasta
• Linguine with clam sauce
• Scallop scampi
• Shrimp scampi tortellini

How Spicy is Spicy?

Well, as with all things spicy, it really depends on your spice tolerance. Mine has decreased in the last few years, so likely this dish will be plenty mild for you.

That said, harissa can be on the spicier side, so you can always reduce the amount of harissa used, as well as reduce the paprika and chili flakes to make a milder version.

If I had to judge, I would call this recipe mild-medium spiciness. If your kids hate spicy, they probably won't like this.

Why This Recipe Works

• It is ultra easy to make, even though it may seem like there are a lot of steps below (don't worry, it's easy!).
• The addition of harissa really gives the flavor an extra added oomph.
• It is great leftover, but may not make it that far...
• Perfect family dinner, or even can be made a fancy date night dinner 😉
• Using chicken thighs ensures the chicken stays tender and juicy, even when you microwave leftovers.
• The recipe is forgiving, so you can make substitutions and it will still come out great (scroll down to see some substitution ideas).

Ingredients

The full list of ingredients and amounts is included in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

We use chicken thighs in this recipe as they stay more tender and juicy than chicken breast. You can substitute chicken breast if needed.

Harissa paste is used to give this dish added spice. along with the crushed red pepper and smoked paprika. Harissa paste is made from roasted red peppers, hot chili peppers, garlic, and spices, such as coriander, caraway, and cumin.

We use harissa in these baked sweet potato slices, Instant Pot lamb chops and roasted turkey thighs.

Heavy cream is what gives the pasta it's creaminess - you can substitute coconut cream as well if you prefer.

Parmesan cheese adds the perfect amount of nutty, umami flavor at the end. Add more or less as you prefer.

Step By Step Instructions

Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

Heat a large high sided skillet over medium heat and add the butter.

Brown the chicken thighs for 2-3 minutes per side. Remove and let cool.

Slice the chicken in strips (or pieces) and set aside. **It's ok if it's not fully cooked at this point.

Add the garlic and onion to the skillet and sauté for 2-3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, paprika, chili flakes, salt and harissa and stir to combine.

Add the stock and chicken and simmer for 1-2 minutes.

Add the cream and simmer for 5-7 minutes, until the sauce is thickened and chicken is cooked through.

Stir in the cooked pasta and parmesan cheese. Add 1 tablespoon of reserved pasta water at a time if the sauce is too thin.

Serve it with air fryer garlic bread, pesto challah and a spinach salad.

Expert Tips

1. Add more or less harissa paste, crushed red pepper, and/or paprika to make the dish more or less spicy. You may need to adjust the salt to taste.
2. Use any type of pasta you prefer. Cook it in salted water before adding it to the dish.
3. Add 1-2 tablespoons of cream cheese to the sauce to make it more creamy and give it a little tang.
4. Add cooked shrimp or sausage when you add the chicken back in to the dish.

Add-In Options and Variations

What's great about dishes like these is how many changes and tweaks you can make to make it your own. Try some of these options to take it up a notch:

• Add some crumbled bacon in. Make this sous vide bacon for total melt-in-your-mouth crumble-able bacon.
• Sprinkle with blue cheese for added tang.
• Add cooked shrimp (try these perfect sous vide shrimp) or sausage.
• Replace the penne with tortellini or ravioli.
• Stir in fresh spinach or kale at the end and let the residual heat cook it.
• Diced up sun-dried tomatoes and add them to the dish.
• Slice up bell peppers, green beans and/or zucchini (or any vegetables) to add into the dish. Just be careful for added moisture from the vegetable - you may want to sauté them first before adding them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Storage/Reheating Instructions

Store leftovers in the fridge in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave. Add a splash of chicken stock or cream if it's too thick.

I don't recommend freezing as the pasta will start to fall apart, but it can be frozen in a pinch. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat per above.

Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it turned out!