Creamy Jalapeño Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Tender chicken, smoky bacon, and creamy cheese combine with jalapeño in this comforting pasta dish.

# What you need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 cups cooked shredded chicken, rotisserie or poached
02 - 6 slices bacon, chopped

→ Pasta

03 - 12 oz short pasta such as elbow macaroni or penne

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

04 - 2 to 3 fresh jalapeños, seeded and diced
05 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Dairy & Cheese

07 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened
08 - 1 cup whole milk
09 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
10 - 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

→ Seasonings

11 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus additional for pasta water
13 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Optional Garnishes

14 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or green onions
15 - Fresh jalapeño slices

# How to make it:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving approximately 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the skillet.
03 - Add the chopped onion and diced jalapeños to the skillet. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
04 - Add the softened cream cheese to the skillet, stirring until melted and smooth. Pour in the milk gradually while whisking to create a creamy sauce.
05 - Stir in the cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses until melted and the sauce is smooth. Season with smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
06 - Add the shredded chicken and half of the cooked bacon to the sauce. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes until heated through.
07 - Toss in the cooked pasta, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve your preferred sauce consistency.
08 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot, garnished with remaining bacon, chopped chives or green onions, and extra jalapeño slices as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's a weeknight dinner that tastes like you spent way more time in the kitchen than you actually did.
  • The heat from the jalapeños plays beautifully against the creamy cheese, so every bite feels balanced and exciting.
  • Leftover rotisserie chicken does the heavy lifting, meaning you're mostly just building a sauce around what's already cooked.
02 -
  • Don't skip seeding the jalapeños unless you actually want serious heat—I learned this the hard way when a friend with a sensitive stomach came over.
  • Stir the cream cheese in slowly and patiently; rushing it can make the sauce split or turn grainy.
  • Save that pasta water religiously; it's the secret to loosening a sauce that's gotten too thick.
03 -
  • Use the highest quality bacon you can afford because it really does taste different when it's good, and it's the star ingredient here.
  • If you want extra crunch, top each bowl with toasted breadcrumbs or crushed bacon shards just before serving—texture matters.
  • Turkey bacon works as a lighter substitute, but understand it won't render quite as much fat, so you might need to add a touch of butter to the skillet.
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