Sweet Chili Chicken Pasta (Print Version)

A vibrant dish featuring tender chicken and pasta in a creamy sweet chili sauce balancing heat and sweetness.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or fusilli pasta
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil

→ Chicken

03 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (14 oz), cut into bite-sized pieces
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Sauce

06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - 1/3 cup sweet chili sauce
10 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
11 - 1 tbsp lime juice

→ Garnish

12 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
13 - 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
14 - 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
02 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then cook until golden and cooked through, about 5–6 minutes. Remove and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, sauté garlic and red bell pepper until fragrant and softened, about 2–3 minutes.
04 - Add heavy cream, sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, and lime juice to the skillet. Stir to combine and simmer gently.
05 - Return chicken to the pan and simmer for 2–3 minutes until sauce slightly thickens.
06 - Add cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to coat evenly. Adjust sauce consistency with reserved pasta water if needed.
07 - Serve immediately topped with spring onions, cilantro, and toasted sesame seeds as desired.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It comes together in 35 minutes flat, which means dinner on a chaotic weeknight is genuinely possible.
  • The sauce is so silky and balanced that even people who usually pick chicken off their plate will ask for seconds.
  • You get that sweet-spicy-rich trifecta that keeps you reaching for just one more bite.
02 -
  • Don't skip seasoning the raw chicken properly; it's your only chance to build flavor before the sauce takes over.
  • Pasta water is your secret weapon for fixing a sauce that's too thick, so always reserve it without fail.
  • The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools, so if it seems slightly loose when you finish cooking, that's actually perfect.
03 -
  • Buy pre-cut chicken or ask the butcher to butterfly and chunk it for you; it saves precious minutes on busy nights.
  • Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan for 30 seconds right before serving so they're fragrant and crispy instead of flat and boring.
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