Sweet Chili Chicken Pasta

I discovered this dish on a Tuesday evening when I had leftover sweet chili sauce and absolutely no inspiration. My partner was hovering hopefully in the kitchen, and I thought: what if I took that Asian-leaning sauce and crashed it into Italian comfort food? The result was unexpectedly brilliant, creamy and spicy in ways that just worked together.

I made this for a dinner party once when I was trying to impress someone's parents, and honestly, I almost didn't because it seemed too casual, too fusion-y, too risky. But it ended up being the thing everyone talked about afterward, which taught me something important: sometimes the dishes you're nervous about are exactly the ones worth making.

Ingredients

• 350g penne or fusilli pasta: Use whatever shape you have; penne catches the sauce best, but fusilli spirals are forgiving if your sauce is looser than planned.
• 1 tbsp olive oil: Just enough to get your pan hot and keep the chicken from sticking during those crucial first minutes.
• 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (400g), cut into bite-sized pieces: Cut them roughly the same size so they cook evenly and become tender throughout.
• 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper: Season the chicken boldly; it's your only chance before it goes into the sauce.
• 2 cloves garlic, minced: Fresh garlic makes all the difference here, adding bite and depth that jarred simply cannot match.
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced: It softens just enough while retaining a little snap, and the color makes the dish look intentional.
• 1 cup heavy cream: This is what transforms the sauce from thin to luxurious and makes the sweet chili sauce less aggressive.
• 1/3 cup sweet chili sauce: This is your anchor flavor; it brings the heat and sweetness that defines the whole dish.
• 2 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tbsp lime juice: Soy adds umami depth while lime brightness keeps it from feeling one-note.
• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced, plus cilantro and sesame seeds for garnish: These are not optional if you want the dish to look alive on the plate.

Instructions

Get your pasta started:

Fill a large pot with salted water and bring it to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook to al dente, which means it should have just a tiny bit of resistance when you bite it. Drain it but save that starchy pasta water like it's liquid gold because you'll need it later to loosen the sauce.

Sear the chicken until it's golden:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add chicken pieces, season them with salt and pepper, and let them sit for a minute before stirring. You want a golden crust on the outside, which takes about 5-6 minutes total. Remove the chicken to a plate and don't wash the pan because all those golden bits are flavor.

Build the sauce foundation:

In that same skillet, add minced garlic and sliced bell pepper. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until you can smell the garlic and the peppers have started to soften at the edges. This is where the aromatics do their quiet work.

Create the creamy, spicy sauce:

Pour in heavy cream, sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, and lime juice all at once. Stir everything together and let it come to a gentle simmer, which should take about 2 minutes. The sauce should smell incredible at this point, like something between Thai and Italian that somehow makes perfect sense.

Finish the chicken:

Return the cooked chicken to the pan and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes so it soaks up all that sauce flavor. The sauce should thicken slightly and coat the chicken pieces.

Bring it all together:

Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss everything until the pasta is coated. If the sauce looks too thick and clumpy, add a splash of that reserved pasta water and stir gently. You want the sauce to cling to the pasta without pooling at the bottom.

Plate and garnish:

Divide among bowls while everything is still hot. Scatter spring onions and cilantro across the top, finish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and serve immediately before the pasta absorbs too much sauce and becomes heavy.

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There was a moment, halfway through eating this with my family, when my nephew put down his fork and asked why this didn't exist in the world already. That's when I realized this dish had become one of those rare things: proof that fusion doesn't have to mean confused or trying too hard.

The Magic of Balancing Sweet and Spicy

The reason this sauce works is that sweet chili sauce needs a counterweight, and that's where the lime juice and soy sauce come in. The lime adds brightness that cuts through richness, while soy sauce adds savory depth. Together, they stop the dish from being one-dimensional candy. Heavy cream is the peacekeeper, softening the spice just enough that even people with low heat tolerance can enjoy it.

When to Swap or Substitute

I've made this with shrimp on nights when I wanted something lighter, and honestly it's spectacular because shrimp cooks so quickly that you almost can't mess it up. Tofu works too if you're cooking for someone avoiding meat, though you'd want to press it first and maybe sear it slightly longer to give it some texture. The sauce is flexible enough to welcome whatever protein you have on hand.

Serving and Pairing Ideas

This dish plays well with crisp white wine like Sauvignon Blanc because the acidity matches the lime in the sauce. If you want to round out the meal, a simple green salad with a light vinaigrette on the side cuts through the richness perfectly. Some nights I've added a squeeze of fresh lime to individual bowls right before eating, which adds another layer of brightness.

• A cold beer also works beautifully if wine feels too formal for the occasion.
• Leftovers reheat gently in a skillet with a tiny splash of water or cream, though the pasta will firm up slightly.
• Make this dish a day ahead if you're hosting, but wait to cook the pasta until an hour before serving so it doesn't turn mushy.

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This is the kind of dish that makes you feel like a real cook, even though it's shockingly simple. Every time I make it, I'm reminded that the best meals don't need to be complicated or traditional to be absolutely worth repeating.

Common Recipe Questions

→ Can I use different pasta types?

Yes, penne or fusilli work best, but other shapes like farfalle or rigatoni can be substituted without affecting the dish’s texture.

→ Is it possible to replace chicken with other proteins?

Shrimp or tofu can be used as alternatives for different preferences or dietary needs, offering similar cooking times.

→ How can I adjust the level of heat in the sauce?

You can increase or decrease the amount of sweet chili sauce to control the spice intensity to your liking.

→ What side dishes pair well with this meal?

A crisp white wine like Sauvignon Blanc and a fresh green salad complement the rich, flavorful pasta nicely.

→ Can I prepare the sauce in advance?

Yes, the creamy sauce can be made ahead and gently reheated before combining with chicken and pasta for convenience.