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Honey Pepper Chicken Pasta

Honey Pepper Chicken Pasta with penne tossed in a glossy honey-pepper sauce and golden-seared chicken. Ready in about 40 minutes, with a thickened sauce made from cornstarch and reserved pasta water for clingy, saucy texture.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 780
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Honey Pepper Chicken Pasta
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast
  • 1 lb penne or rigatoni
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 0.5 cup honey
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp black pepper generous
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp water for slurry
  • 0.5 cup parmesan grated
  • 0.25 fresh parsley for serving
  • 1 salt to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook pasta
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook penne or rigatoni until al dente, then reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and drain.
  2. Keep the pasta water warm so it’s ready to loosen the sauce when you toss the pasta.
Sear chicken
  1. Season sliced chicken breast with salt and a generous amount of black pepper.
  2. Heat butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and sear chicken until golden, 4-5 minutes per side, then remove and slice.
Make honey pepper sauce
  1. In the same skillet, sauté minced garlic for 1 minute until fragrant, then add chicken broth, honey, soy sauce, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
  2. Whisk cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water, pour into the sauce, and simmer until thickened.
Toss and finish
  1. Add cooked pasta to the sauce and toss, adding reserved pasta water as needed until glossy and evenly coated.
  2. Return sliced chicken to the skillet, toss to heat through, then finish with grated parmesan and top with fresh parsley.

Notes

For the thick, clingy sauce, whisk the cornstarch slurry until smooth before adding, and use reserved pasta water a splash at a time while tossing. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water. Freezing is not recommended because the sauce can break after thawing. For a gluten-free swap, use gluten-free penne and ensure soy sauce is gluten-free (or use tamari).