At Home With Josie

Creamy, cheesy, a little smoky, and packed with roasted Hatch chile flavor, this Hatch Green Chile Chicken Pasta is such a comforting meal. Roasted Hatch peppers, tomatillos, and onion are blended with cottage cheese and cream cheese to make a smooth, creamy sauce without needing heavy cream. Then it’s tossed with spaghetti, juicy seasoned chicken, and melty Hatch chile Monterey Jack cheese.

The roasted peppers give the sauce just the right amount of smoky heat, while the tomatillos add a little brightness. It’s creamy, flavorful, and perfect when Hatch chile season rolls around!

Ingredients

For the Chicken

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1–2 tablespoons olive oil, for cooking

For the Hatch Green Chile Sauce

• 2–4 Hatch green chile peppers, depending on your preferred spice level
• 1–2 tomatillos, husks removed and rinsed
• ¼ medium onion
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon, or to taste
• ½–1 cup reserved pasta water, as needed
• Salt, to taste

For the Pasta

• 12 oz spaghetti
• 1–1½ cups H-E-B Limited Edition Natural Cheese Hatch Chile Pepper Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
• Additional reserved pasta water, as needed

Instructions

1. Roast the vegetables.
Place the Hatch peppers, tomatillos, and onion in the air fryer. Air fry at 400°F for about 10–15 minutes, turning halfway through, until the vegetables are softened and the Hatch peppers are nicely blistered and roasted.

2. Peel the Hatch peppers.
Allow the roasted peppers to cool enough to handle. Peel away the blistered outer skin, then remove the stems. For a milder sauce, remove the seeds as well. For more heat, you can leave some of the seeds in.

3. Cook the spaghetti.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to the package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve at least 1–2 cups of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside.

4. Make the creamy Hatch chile sauce.
Add the roasted Hatch peppers, tomatillos, onion, cottage cheese, cream cheese, garlic powder, black pepper, chicken bouillon, and about ½ cup of reserved pasta water to a blender.

Blend until completely smooth and creamy. If the sauce seems too thick, add a little more pasta water until it reaches a pourable consistency.

5. Season the chicken.
Pat the chicken breasts dry and season both sides with salt, black pepper, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder.

6. Cook the chicken.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the seasoned chicken breasts and sear on both sides until golden brown and completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F.

Remove the chicken from the skillet and allow it to rest for a few minutes before slicing.

7. Heat the sauce.
Pour the blended Hatch chile sauce into a large skillet or pan over medium-low heat. Allow it to warm gently, stirring occasionally.

Add the H-E-B Hatch Chile Pepper Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese and stir until the cheese has completely melted into the sauce.

Taste and add more salt if needed.

8. Add the pasta.
Add the cooked spaghetti directly to the sauce and toss until every strand is coated.

If the sauce becomes too thick, gradually add more reserved pasta water, a little at a time, until you reach your desired creamy consistency.

9. Serve.
Plate the creamy Hatch green chile spaghetti and top with the sliced chicken breast. Add a little extra shredded cheese on top if you’d like, and serve warm.

Tips for the Best Hatch Green Chile Chicken Pasta

• Adjust the heat. Hatch peppers can range from mild to pretty spicy. Start with 2 peppers for a milder sauce or use up to 4 for a stronger Hatch chile flavor.
• Don’t forget the pasta water! The starchy water helps thin the sauce while keeping it creamy and helps the sauce cling to the spaghetti.
• Peel the peppers after roasting. Removing the blistered skin gives the sauce a much smoother texture.
• Let the chicken rest before slicing. Give it about 5 minutes after cooking so the juices stay inside the chicken.
• Keep the heat low when adding the cheese. High heat can cause a creamy cheese sauce to become grainy or separate.
• Adjust the consistency at the very end. The pasta will continue absorbing sauce, so you may need another splash of pasta water just before serving.
• Taste before adding extra salt. Chicken bouillon and shredded cheese are already salty, so wait until everything is combined before adding more.

Made This Recipe?

If you try this Hatch Green Chile Chicken Pasta, I’d love to see how it turned out! Tag me @lajosie_ on social media so I can see and share your creations.