20-Minute Garlic Chipotle Pasta {with or without Chicken}

Garlic Chipotle Pasta with Chicken: 7 Ingredients, 20 Minutes

This is one of those dishes for which I am nearly always prepared to make.

We all need a handful of recipes like that in our back pocket... Satisfying meals made from ingredients we nearly always have on hand that come together quickly on nights when you really want to eat real food at home but don't want to spend much time in the kitchen.

At my house, these types of throw-it-together, no planning required kind of meals often include breakfast-y type food like pancakes, cheese omelettes, or French toast.

But, pasta is also firmly in this category. Garlic Chipotle Pasta and equally quick and delicious pasta napolitana are at the top of my list for low-effort-but-still-delicious recipes.

6 Things I love about Garlic Chipotle Pasta

1. This pasta is equally appropriate eaten on the good plates by candlelight OR in front of the television in your pajamas.
2. It's main ingredients are long shelf-life foods I almost always have in my pantry and refrigerator: pasta, chipotle peppers in adobo, garlic, olive and sesame oil, almonds, and (sometimes) leftover chicken or sausage.
3. It's just as good without chicken (or sausage) as it is with it.
4. I haven't tried it yet, but I really think shrimp or scallops would be pretty fantastic in here as well.
5. Chipotle peppers are my jam. So is adobo sauce.
6. Pasta. (I don't feel like that needs further explanation.)

Roast a Chicken, Buy a Chicken, or Leave the Chicken Out

Simple Roast Chicken is something I make at least twice a month, maybe closer to once a week, and I almost always roast more than one at a time. It takes about 5 minutes to get a chicken or two in the oven and then you have delicious roast chicken to throw into other dishes or eat on its own throughout the week.

PLUS - follow this super simple recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Broth that requires nothing more than chicken bones and water, and you'll get a whole bunch of chicken broth from bones that you were just going to throw away anyway.

I typically throw the chicken bones and water in the slow cooker right after dinner and let it simmer away overnight. In the morning, strain out the bones and put the broth in the refrigerator or freezer.

All that to say that I usually have some leftover chicken in my refrigerator. If you do too, throw it in. Or, roast a chicken earlier in the day or earlier in the week. Or whip up some crispy baked panko breaded chicken. OR - pick up a rotisserie chicken at your local market.

OR - leave the chicken out entirely. Honestly, the Garlic Chipotle Pasta is just as good without it. It's also delicious with some cooked Italian Sausage. Or shrimp. Or scallops. Or tofu. 

What Kind of Pasta Should You Use in this Recipe?

I almost always have at least one box of pasta in the pantry.

But it's impossible to beat the flavor, texture, and nutritional content of homemade spaghetti noodles.

Making fresh pasta requires little hands-on time but a lot of resting time. It's important to allow the dough to rest for several hours before cutting it into noodles. It's also important to let the spaghetti noodles dry out for a few hours before cooking them.

So, plan accordingly.

Fresh pasta dough will keep well in the refrigerator for up to a week. So, I often make a batch on the weekend with the intention of pulling it out later that week to use it for dinner. You can also allow the spaghetti noodles to dry completely and store them in your pantry for up to a month. This makes them just as convenient on weeknights as a box of storebought pasta.

More Popular Pasta Recipes:

• Slow Cooker Asian Short Rib Pasta with Mushrooms and Asparagus
• Chicken Piccata {in Lemon Caper Butter Sauce}
• Favorite Spaghetti and Meatballs 
• Vegetarian Spaghetti Carbonara
• Pasta Bolognese
• Miso Buttered Pasta with Salmon