Spicy Jalapeño Pasta

To prepare the dish, start by preheating your oven to a high temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Next, lightly coat an 8x8-inch baking dish with a non-stick cooking spray to prevent food from sticking.

Slice one jalapeño into thin strips; meanwhile, cut the remaining jalapeño into individual rounds. Set these aside for later use.

Place slices of bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until the bacon is evenly browned, taking around 10 minutes. Remove the cooked bacon from the skillet with paper towels and crumble it into small pieces.

Reheat the bacon fat in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions and 1/2 cup of chopped jalapeño to the hot skillet, cooking until the onion is soft and translucent, which should take around 5-6 minutes. Add a spoonful of flour to the skillet and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Stir in milk and chicken broth until they're well combined, followed by Neufchâtel cheese that's fully melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Turn off the heat, then stir in 1/2 cup of pepper Jack cheese and 1/2 cup of Cheddar cheese until they're completely melted. Add cooked pasta, chicken, and half of the crumbled bacon to the mixture.

Spoon 1/2 of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish and top it with jalapeño strips. Cover the dish with the remaining pasta mixture, followed by the remaining pepper Jack and Cheddar cheese. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.

Bake the dish in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and add jalapeño slices and the remaining bacon on top of the dish. Bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes to achieve the desired result.