Jalapeño Popper Pasta

  5.0 – 2 reviews  • Chicken

You won’t become carb-overloaded after eating this traditional dish. The butternut squash provides a distinctive alternative to the usual lasagna noodles!

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 1 hr
Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  1. cooking spray
  2. 2 jalapeno peppers
  3. 8 slices bacon
  4. 1 cup chopped onion
  5. ½ cup chopped jalapeno pepper
  6. 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  7. 1 cup milk
  8. 1 cup chicken broth
  9. 6 ounces Neufchatel cheese, softened
  10. 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  11. ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
  12. 1 cup grated pepper Jack cheese, divided
  13. 1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
  14. 4 cups cooked farfalle pasta
  15. 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8×8-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. Slice 1 jalapeño lengthwise into slivers; slice remaining jalapeño into rounds. Set aside.
  3. Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon slices on paper towels. Crumble and set aside.
  4. Heat bacon grease in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onion and 1/2 cup chopped jalapeño in hot grease until onion is soft and translucent, 5 to 6 minutes. Add flour and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in milk and chicken broth until well combined. Stir in Neufchâtel cheese until completely melted. Season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat and stir in 1/2 cup pepper Jack cheese and 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese until melted. Add cooked pasta, chicken, and 1/2 of the bacon.
  5. Pour 1/2 of the pasta mixture into the prepared dish and top with jalapeño slivers. Cover with remaining pasta mixture and top with remaining pepper Jack and Cheddar cheese. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
  6. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and add jalapeño slices and remaining bacon on top. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes more.
  7. You may substitute regular cream cheese for Neufchâtel cheese.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 616 kcal
Carbohydrate 38 g
Cholesterol 123 mg
Dietary Fiber 3 g
Protein 37 g
Saturated Fat 17 g
Sodium 1302 mg
Sugars 5 g
Fat 34 g
Unsaturated Fat 0 g

Reviews

Sandra Frye
I made exact recipe except I substituted gluten free penne pasta. My new favorite pasta recipe!!
Linda Savage
I added garlic and a bit of fresh ground cumin. For even more heat, some Frank’s Red Hot!

 

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