February 16, 2024
The Best Vegan Chipotle Chicken Pasta
This vegan chipotle chicken pasta is *spicy*, so be cautious! Seasoned vegan chicken, fresh veggies, and my thick rigatoni noodles are doused in THE MOST delicious and creamy chipotle sauce, making for an aroma-packed meal that’s loaded with flavor!
Table of Contents
ingredients and substitutions jump to recipe video step-by-step instructions tips and faqsVegan Chipotle Chicken Pasta
If there’s one thing about me, it’s that I absolutely love chipotle-flavored anything. I also absolutely love pasta, so naturally, I had to devise and share this recipe for vegan chipotle chicken pasta with you all! It’s smoky, creamy and zesty, with the perfect amount of spice and a subtle sweetness to balance it out. Seriously, it’s an explosion of flavor in each bite!
Grab a drink and let’s get to cookin’ the best vegan chipotle chicken pasta!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Here’s a breakdown of the ingredients in the Vegan Chipotle Chicken Pasta recipe, along with some suggested substitutions:
- Pasta: I love using rigatoni pasta – I think they soak up the sauce just perfectly! But feel free to use whatever pasta you prefer, or have on hand. Use gluten-free pasta for a gluten-free version or whole wheat pasta for added nuttiness.
- Raw Cashews: If you have a nut allergy and need to avoid cashews in the sauce, you can sub 1 cup silken tofu in the place of cashews for a nut-free alternative.
- Non-Dairy Milk: I love using soy milk, but feel free to use any variety you prefer, so long as it’s unflavored and unsweetened.
- Adobo Sauce and Chipotle Chilis: Adjust the number of chipotles based on spice preference. Use smoked paprika for a smoky flavor if chipotles are not available, or if you want to omit the chipotles altogether.
- Nutritional Yeast
- Garlic
- Agave or Maple Syrup
- Seasonings: salt, cumin, pepper, chipotle chili powder, and black pepper
- Vegan Chicken Pieces: Sub for pan fried tofu, soy curls, or seitan. Please note cooking instructions and time may vary.
- Olive Oil
- Vegetables: Red Bell Pepper, Red Onion, Fire-Roasted Corn.
- Garnishes: Vegan feta, bac’n bits, fresh cilantro, lime wedges.
How to Make Vegan Chipotle Chicken Pasta
1. Prepare the Pasta:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of starchy cooking water before draining. Do not rinse.
2. Prepare the Creamy Chipotle Sauce:
Drain and rinse the soaked cashews. Blend them in a high-powered blender with non-dairy milk, adobo sauce, chipotle chilis, nutritional yeast, garlic, maple syrup, 1 teaspoon salt, and cumin until smooth.
3. Cook the Vegan Chicken and Veggies:
In a sauté pan over medium heat, sear vegan chicken pieces in olive oil for 7-8 minutes. Add bell peppers, cook until slightly softened (6-7 minutes), then stir in onions, corn, remaining salt, chipotle chili powder, and pepper. Cook for an additional 5-7 minutes until softened. Reduce heat to low.
4. Combine and Toss:
Add cooked pasta and chipotle sauce to the pan, tossing to combine well. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Adjust salt to taste.
5. Garnish and Serve:
Garnish with vegan feta, bac’n bits, and chopped cilantro. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side, and ENJOY!
Tips and FAQs
- Spice Level: Adjust the spice level by varying the number of chipotle chilis. Start with one and add more according to your preference.
- Creamy Sauce Consistency: If the chipotle sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water gradually until you achieve the desired consistency. Additonally, you may notice that over time, the sauce tends to thicken. You can easily adjust this by adding more nondairy milk or vegetable broth 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Make sure to taste adjust seasonings as needed.
- Protein Alternatives: Experiment with different plant-based protein sources, such as tofu, tempeh, or seitan, in place of vegan chicken for variety.
- Vegetable Variations: Customize the vegetable mix based on seasonal availability or personal preferences. Zucchini, cherry tomatoes, or spinach can be great additions.
How to store leftovers?
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Can I freeze vegan chipotle chicken pasta?
You can! The creamy sauce may separate when frozen, so it’s recommended to freeze the components separately. Freeze the sauce and cooked pasta separately, then thaw and reheat before combining.
How do I reheat the pasta?
To reheat, gently warm the pasta on the stovetop over medium heat, adding a splash of non-dairy milk or water to maintain creaminess. Avoid overcooking to prevent the pasta from becoming mushy.
Can I make the chipotle sauce nut-free?
Yes! If you want to avoid cashews in the sauce, you can sub 1 cup silken tofu in the place of cashews for a nut-free alternative.
Can I make the sauce ahead of time?
Absolutely! The sauce can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Simply reheat it before combining with the pasta and veggies.
More Pasta Recipes
- One Pot Cajun Inspired Pasta
- Soy Chorizo Mushroom Marsala Pasta
- Chick’n Caesar Pasta Salad
- Roasted Red Pepper Pasta with Cheesy Pistachio Breadcrumbs
- Christmas Fettuccine
Spice Up Your Life with Vegan Chipotle Chicken Pasta!
I hope you love this vegan chipotle chicken pasta as much as I do! If you try this dish and enjoy it, I wanna know! Snap a photo, take a video, or make a story and post it to Instagram or TikTok, and tag me at @eat_figs_not_pigsand #EatFigsNotPigs. I love seeing your recreations of my recipes!
Til next time, friends!
xo!
Vegan Chipotle Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 ounces dried pasta noodles of choice
- ¾ cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 15 minutes
- 1 ½ cups unflavored and unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 6 tablespoons adobo sauce from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce
- 1-3 chipotles from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 4 cloves fresh garlic
- 2 teaspoons agave or maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 8 oz vegan chicken pieces
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ cups chopped red bell pepper, about 1 large pepper
- 1 cup diced red onion, about ½ large onion
- 1 cup fire-roasted corn, fresh, frozen or canned – if using canned, drain
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Vegan feta, for garnish
- Vegan bac’n bits, for garnish
- Fresh chopped cilantro, for garnish
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook the penne according to the package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the starchy cooking water. Drain the pasta, but do not rinse.
- Drain and rinse the cashews and place them in a high- powered blender along with the nondairy milk, adobo sauce, chipotle chilis, nutritional yeast, garlic, maple syrup, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the cumin. Blend until very smooth.
- Meanwhile, in a sauté pan over medium heat, sauté the vegan chicken pieces in the olive oil for 7 to 8 minutes, until the edges are slightly seared. Add the bell peppers and cook until they just start to soften, 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in the onions and corn, the remaining teaspoon of salt, the chipotle chili powder, and pepper and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until softened. Reduce the heat to low.
- Add the pasta and sauce to the pan, tossing to combine well. If the sauce seems too thick, add the reserved pasta water 1⁄4 cup at a time until the sauce reaches the desired consistency. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Garnish with vegan feta, bac’n bits, and chopped cilantro and serve immediately with a couple wedges of lime alongside. ENJOY!
This is such a good dish overflowing with flavors and heat. Yes, it’s a hot one for sure. The added vegan feta helped bring the spice level down a wee bit. My advise, and what I’ll do next time, is to start with 3 T of adobe sauce and only 1 of the peppers. We eat every bite and loved it!
Thanks for sharing!