Description
Creamy Pepper Jack Pasta is the ultimate comfort food, packed with tender chicken, smoky sausage, and pasta coated in a rich, spicy pepper jack cheese sauce. Perfect for cozy weeknights or impressing guests, this dish balances bold flavors with creamy indulgence.
Ingredients
340 g penne pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
450 g chicken breast, diced
225 g smoked sausage, sliced
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup heavy cream
1.5 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
1 teaspoon paprika
0.5 teaspoon black pepper
0.5 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, season with salt, pepper, and paprika, and sear until golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
3. In the same skillet, brown the smoked sausage slices until crisp at the edges. Set aside.
4. Reduce heat to medium, add butter, sauté onion and garlic until soft and fragrant.
5. Pour in heavy cream, stirring to deglaze the pan. Gradually whisk in pepper jack cheese until smooth and creamy. Thin with reserved pasta water if needed.
6. Return chicken, sausage, and pasta to the skillet. Toss to coat in the sauce and simmer for 1–2 minutes to blend flavors.
7. Serve hot, garnished with chopped parsley if desired.
Notes
Use freshly grated pepper jack cheese for the smoothest sauce.
Add red pepper flakes or cayenne for extra heat.
Reheat leftovers with a splash of cream or milk to restore creaminess.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 670 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 820 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 36 g
- Cholesterol: 165 mg
Keywords: creamy pepper jack pasta, chicken pasta, sausage pasta