Copycat California Pizza Kitchen Chicken Tequila Fettuccine Recipe

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#4821

This pasta favorite from CPK has a hefty dose of tequila in the sauce that gives it its signature flavor.

serves/makes:

ready in:

under 30 minutes

24 reviews
1 comment

ingredients

1 pound dry spinach fettuccine
OR
2 pounds fresh spinach fettuccine
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro reserved for garnish
2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
2 tablespoons minced jalapeno pepper (seeds and veins may be removed)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (reserve tablespoon for saute )
1/2 cup chicken stock (preferably homemade)
2 tablespoons gold tequila
2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lime juice
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/4 pound chicken breast, diced 3/4 inch
1/4 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 medium yellow bell pepper thinly sliced
1/2 medium green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cup heavy cream

directions

Prepare rapidly boiling, salted water to cook pasta; cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes for dry pasta, approximately 3 minutes for fresh. Pasta may be cooked slightly ahead of time, rinsed and oiled and then "flashed" (reheated) in boiling water or cooked to coincide with the finishing of the sauce/topping.

Cook 1/3 cup cilantro, garlic and jalapeno in 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add stock, tequila and lime juice. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until reduced to a paste like consistency; set aside. Pour soy sauce over diced chicken; set aside for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile cook onion and peppers, stirring occasionally, with remaining butter over medium heat. When the vegetables have wilted (become limp), add chicken and soy sauce; toss and add reserved tequila/lime paste and cream. Bring the sauce to a boil; boil gently until chicken is cooked through and sauce is thick (about 3 minutes). When sauce is done, toss with well-drained spinach fettuccine and reserved cilantro. Serve family style or transfer to serving dishes, evenly distributing chicken.

added by

babycakes99

recipe tips

Make sure pasta is well-drained before tossing with the sauce to prevent diluting the flavors.

For a more pronounced lime flavor, zest one lime and add it to the sauce along with the lime juice.

To prevent the garlic and jalapeno from burning, cook them over medium heat and keep an eye on the mixture, stirring frequently.

If you're sensitive to dairy, a dairy-free heavy cream alternative can be used in the sauce to maintain creaminess.

Taste the sauce before tossing with the pasta and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.

If the sauce thickens too much before serving, a splash of pasta water can help thin it to the desired consistency.

common recipe questions

What type of tequila is best for cooking in this recipe?

Gold tequila is recommended for its smooth flavor that complements the creamy and spicy elements of the sauce. Avoid using overly expensive or aged tequilas, as their nuanced flavors can be lost in cooking.

Can I use regular fettuccine if I can't find spinach fettuccine?

Yes, regular fettuccine can be used as a substitute. The spinach fettuccine adds color and a subtle flavor, but the dish will still be delicious with plain pasta.

How can I adjust the spiciness of the dish?

The spiciness can be adjusted by altering the amount of minced jalapeno pepper used. Removing the seeds and veins will reduce the heat, or you can add more for a spicier dish.

Is there a non-alcoholic substitute for the tequila?

While the tequila is a key flavor component, you can substitute it with a mixture of chicken broth and a bit of lime juice for a non-alcoholic version, though the unique tequila flavor will be absent.

How do I achieve a paste-like consistency for the tequila/lime reduction?

Simmer the mixture until most of the liquid has evaporated, stirring frequently to prevent burning. It should have a thick, paste-like consistency when properly reduced.

What can I use instead of heavy cream for a lighter version?

For a lighter version, you can use half-and-half or a combination of milk and a tablespoon of flour to thicken the sauce, though the sauce will be less rich.

Can I prepare any part of this dish in advance?

Yes, the chicken can be marinated in soy sauce, and the vegetables can be sliced ahead of time. The tequila/lime paste can also be prepared in advance and refrigerated until needed.

How do I store and reheat leftovers?

Store the pasta in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat leftovers gently over low heat on the stove, adding a little chicken stock or cream if the sauce has thickened too much in the refrigerator.

Can I add other vegetables to this dish?

Yes, feel free to add other vegetables such as sliced mushrooms, zucchini, or asparagus.

nutrition data

1211 calories, 57 grams fat, 129 grams carbohydrates, 52 grams protein per serving.

reviews & comments

Ime REVIEW:
June 15, 2014

The best pasta
jerryt REVIEW:
October 30, 2013

LOVE this recipe!! Can't wait to make it again! Thank you for sharing it!
Fettuccine Freak REVIEW:
July 9, 2013

If you can get fresh spinach fettuccine that will make a huge difference in this recipe. Use a top shelf tequila too. Also, this recipe serves more than 4 people as we are a family of 4 and had leftovers although if you serve only this then it might only serve 4. I served salad and bread with it.
rac-jon REVIEW:
March 15, 2013

I used heavy whipping cream for the sauce and the sauce won't thicken....any recommendations?

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Imelda REVIEW:
November 13, 2012

Fantastic! This really is to die for. Absolutely love it!
special k REVIEW:
April 27, 2012

LOVED this recipe, really does taste like CPK. To save 100 calories and a lot of sodium, i substituted pasta for shirataki fettucini noodles. You just have to cook down the cream a lot so that the noodles soak it in, otherwise it is watery. Def always garnish with lime and YUM!
Kiki April 13, 2012

What kind of tequila did you all use? I'm looking into making it
VannJ REVIEW:
April 3, 2012

Made this last night - Incredible! Everyone loved it. AS good or better than CPK I made one change to ingredient and that was to add a whole medium onion ( was really awesome
k_nikki86 REVIEW:
February 21, 2012

I made this last night and it tasted almost exactly like the dish from CPK. To make it a little healthier, I substituted 1 cup of fat free half&half and 1/2 cup of plain greek yogurt for the heavy whipping cream. The texture of the sauce looked a little strange but it tasted amazing. Thanks for the great recipe!
jetfood REVIEW:
September 13, 2011

This was excellent and I haven't eaten at a California Kitchen restaurant. I had several things on hand that I needed to dispose of so I decided to try this. The changes I made due to available items on hand were: I used thin spaghetti instead of fettucine; I used 1/2 cup of 1% milk with 1 cup cream, and I used pickled jalapenos(rinsed) instead of fresh, and I also used only 1/2 lb. pasta. My husband loved it.
Maria REVIEW:
July 6, 2011

it taste exactly like the pasta at CPK,We are stationed overseas and there not a decent pasta place. i made it for my husband for dinner and he loved it!!! i loved it as well, i recommend it to anyone, great tasting!
SofiLola85 REVIEW:
April 7, 2011

I surprised my husband with this recipe and for the first time and he was moaning at how delicious it was, hahaha. He was so excited to take it to work the next day for lunch as well. For a non cook, this was definitely more difficult for me. I loved every minute of the cooking process and was excited to taste everything along the way. I honestly never thought a recipe online would be as good as the restaurant but it came out better. Thank you!
Guest Foodie REVIEW:
April 7, 2011

I love the CPK dish and this recipe does it justice. Personally, the cream makes the sauce too heavy so I use whole milk instead. I also serve it over rotini pasta. It's easier to take lady-like bites of the smaller pasta and you don't get any unfortunate sauce splashing that can happen when trying to twirl fettuccine.
EWM REVIEW:
March 12, 2011

This recipe is always a hit. I worked at CPK a long (long, long) time ago and they had us garnish the pasta with a squirt of fresh lime juice and chopped fresh cilantro, which really adds a nice finishing touch.
Mindy REVIEW:
June 28, 2010

I am in LOVE with this dish at the restaurant and am absolutely amazed how identical this recipe is...it tastes exactly the same! I love veggies and used the entire onion and all three peppers (not halves), which turned out great. My grocery store didn't have spinach fettuccini, but regular worked fine. Next time I plan to use two jalapenos to amp up the heat! Also, it says serves four but I three of us ate it and had over half of it left, so I'd say six is more like it.
paramedichick REVIEW:
May 5, 2010

This Pasta is amazing! Tastes just like the kind at CPK! Better even! I followed the recipe exactly and it came out perfect!The only thing ddifferent i had to do was add a little bit of corn starch to the cream sauce to make it thicker and that was it! Otherwise, PERFECT!
Gina0530 REVIEW:
October 6, 2009

OMG this recipe turned out awesome! It tastes so much like the actual dish from CPK. The only thing I would recommend is to use less pasta or make more sauce to balance it out. I didn't use the jalapeno peppers and I added more lime than the recipe says to put & I absolutely loved it!!! Will make this for sure again. Yummy!
Eater REVIEW:
August 31, 2009

Great recipe. I just followed the general gist of it. I didn't have tequila, so I substituted rum. I also didn't bother with the jalapenos (since I can't do hot). I didn't have spinach fettuccine so I used penne. I also cooked everything together, instead of driving myself crazy with too many dishes to clean up afterward. Tasted better than CPK!
smileface REVIEW:
May 12, 2009

this turned out perfectly!! the other reviewers were right about the amount of pasta though. i cut down to 3/4 lbs.
candybanuelos REVIEW:
March 2, 2009

My Husband LOVED this when I made it! It is a great recipe but, like everyone else, I'm cutting back on the amount of pasta. I didn't even put any tequila in it and it tasted just as good as the one at CPK.
mita REVIEW:
September 15, 2008

i loved this dish! it was very easy to make and turned out great.
Guest Foodie REVIEW:
May 27, 2008

I am a novice when it comes to cooking but these directions were easy enough for me to make this dish! When all was said and done this dish was extremely close to the real thing, believe me the Tequila Lime Chicken is all I order from CPK. The only things I changed were to add more lime to taste and use less pasta. Regular whipping cream works just as well as heavy cream. Also a little more tequila, onion, and bell pepper than I used would have been perfect! I will definitely be making this one again!!
pandassan REVIEW:
September 14, 2007

This is a great recipe. It took me a little time to gather the ingredients but so worth it.. YUMMY
nakedwills REVIEW:
October 10, 2005

i just made this tonight and i think this recipe is as good, if not better than the original. i didn't have gold tequila, so i used cuervi silver and it worked just fine as well. and i would also cut the amount of pasta in half. 1/2 pound worked just fine.
eternal REVIEW:
June 26, 2004

This is a great recipe and very similiar to the real thing. One thing though, this recipe asks for WAY too much pasta. Cut it in half to .5 pound of dry pasta.

Please note:
This is a copy cat recipe submitted to CDKitchen by a third-party. This recipe is not an original recipe unless specifically stated and is considered only to be an acceptable "clone" to the original for the home cook to attempt to duplicate. Please also note that many nationwide restaurant chains vary their menus and ingredients by region so the version provided may not be similar to what you may have tried before. All trademarks referenced are property of their respective owners.

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Copycat California Pizza Kitchen Chicken Tequila Fettuccine Recipe | CDKitchen.com (2024)