Honey Pepper Chicken Pasta (Printable Version)

Tender chicken and pasta in a sweet-spicy honey pepper glaze, ready in 30 minutes.

# Needed Ingredients:

→ Protein & Pasta

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb), sliced into thin strips
02 - 8 oz penne or fusilli pasta

→ Sauce & Seasoning

03 - 3 tablespoons honey (preferably raw, local)
04 - 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
08 - Salt, to taste

→ Garnish

09 - 1 handful fresh parsley, chopped
10 - Grated Parmesan cheese (optional, for serving)

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente (about 9–11 minutes). Drain, reserving ½ cup of pasta water, and set aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced chicken, season with salt, and cook 4–5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Add minced garlic to the same skillet and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Stir in honey, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using). Let bubble for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
05 - Return cooked chicken to the skillet and toss to coat in the honey pepper sauce.
06 - Add drained pasta and a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce as needed. Stir until everything is evenly coated and glossy.
07 - Turn off the heat. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and toss gently.
08 - Serve immediately, with grated Parmesan cheese on the side if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The honey creates these gorgeous caramelized sticky bits on the chicken that everyone fights over
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like something that simmered all afternoon
  • The sauce clings to every piece of pasta so no bite is boring
02 -
  • The sauce thickens incredibly fast once the honey hits the hot pan, so have your pasta water measured and ready before you start cooking
  • Don't walk away from the honey pepper mixture for even thirty seconds, or it will burn and turn bitter
03 -
  • Slice your chicken against the grain into thin, even strips so everything cooks at the same speed
  • Room temperature honey pours and incorporates much more smoothly than cold honey from the pantry
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