Chicken Diavolo Pasta
This is an amazingly simple recipe for a spicy chicken and pasta dish that will give you a restaurant quality meal without ever leaving your home!
Chicken Diavolo Pasta (AKA the devil’s chicken) is aptly named because it is both sinfully delicious and spicy.
This dish is traditionally made using farfalle (bow tie) pasta. When I made this, as pictured above, we were in the middle of an ice storm, so I used what I had… which happened to be penne. If you want to keep it traditional, use farfalle. If you are in a pinch, any pasta will still give you the same amazing result.
The spice in this dish comes from cooking the chicken in a spicy oil. The oil is simply olive oil mixed with cayenne and smoked paprika. You can adjust your level of heat here by adding or subtracting the amount of spice you add to the oil. Another kick of heat comes from the addition of red pepper flakes later in the cooking process.
This dish consists of chicken, spinach, sun dried tomatoes and a luscious creamy sauce that is the perfect balance to the spice.
Are you ready to try this amazing recipe??
INGREDIENTS:
16 ounces farfalle pasta cooked and drained
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
2 TBSP olive oil
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to your personal preference)
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (adjust to your personal preference)
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to your personal preference)
2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup unsalted butter (plus 1TBSP)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups parmesan cheese
2 cups fresh baby spinach
6 ounces sun-dried tomatoes chopped
optional: Salt and pepper to taste
In the directions, I will give you some of my personal shortcuts that will make an already simple recipe just a little bit easier, with the same amazing final result!
INSTRUCTIONS:
- In a large saute pan, over medium heat, add the olive oil, cayenne pepper, and smoked paprika. Swirl to combine.
- Slice the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Cook the chicken in the spicy oil until fully cooked (165°F). (About 8 minutes but times may vary)
- Shortcut: I cook my chicken breasts in the Instant Pot for 10 minutes with 1 cup of water. I season them with Lawry’s Seasoned Salt and garlic pepper. Let the Instant Pot do a “natural release” of steam, remove the chicken and slice into bite sized pieces. Add the sliced chicken to the spicy oil and cook until golden brown. THIS WILL NOT TAKE AS LONG AS LISTED ABOVE BECAUSE YOUR CHICKEN IS ALREADY COOKED!
- While you are cooking your chicken, boil your pasta according to the package instructions (in salted water) and drain when finished. (I toss my pasta with 1 TBSP butter, but this is optional)
- Shortcut: I cook my pasta in the Instant Pot. It is much quicker! For 16 ounces of pasta add 4 cups of water and cook for 3 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 5 minutes. Open the lid and stir vigorously 20-30 times. Replace lid (keeping Instant Pot turned off) and allow pasta to continue to absorb water for 5-10 minutes. I then toss mine with 1 TBSP of butter.
- Once the chicken is fully cooked, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the butter and garlic to the pan. Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes, or until butter is completely melted. Add the heavy cream and crushed red pepper flakes to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and add the parmesan cheese to the pan and whisk quickly to combine, just heating through.
- Finally, stir in the spinach and sun-dried tomatoes and drained pasta. Serve hot and enjoy!
NOTES:
If you do not like spicy, just reduce or omit the cayenne and you will still have a very tasty chicken pasta. However, if you really like spicy, then spice it up with some extra cayenne, smoked paprika, or red pepper flakes!
Chicken Diavolo Pasta
Ingredients
- 16 ounces farfalle pasta cooked and drained
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 TBSP olive oil
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper adjust to your personal preference
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika adjust to your personal preference
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes adjust to your personal preference
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter plus 1TBSP
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups parmesan cheese
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 6 ounces sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- optional: Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large saute pan, over medium heat, add the olive oil, cayenne pepper, and smoked paprika. Swirl to combine.
- Slice the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Cook the chicken in the spicy oil until fully cooked (165°F). (About 8 minutes but times may vary)
- Shortcut: I cook my chicken breasts in the Instant Pot for 10 minutes with 1 cup of water. I season them with Lawry’s Seasoned Salt and garlic pepper. Let the Instant Pot do a “natural release” of steam, remove the chicken and slice into bite sized pieces. Add the sliced chicken to the spicy oil and cook until golden brown. THIS WILL NOT TAKE AS LONG AS LISTED ABOVE BECAUSE YOUR CHICKEN IS ALREADY COOKED!
- While you are cooking your chicken, boil your pasta according to the package instructions (in salted water) and drain when finished. (I toss my pasta with 1 TBSP butter, but this is optional)
- Shortcut: I cook my pasta in the Instant Pot. It is much quicker! For 16 ounces of pasta add 4 cups of water and cook for 3 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 5 minutes. Open the lid and stir vigorously 20-30 times. Replace lid (keeping Instant Pot turned off) and allow pasta to continue to absorb water for 5-10 minutes. I then toss mine with 1 TBSP of butter.
- Once the chicken is fully cooked, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the butter and garlic to the pan. Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes, or until butter is completely melted. Add the heavy cream and crushed red pepper flakes to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and add the parmesan cheese to the pan and whisk quickly to combine, just heating through.
- Finally, stir in the spinach and sun-dried tomatoes and drained pasta. Serve hot and enjoy!