Chicken Enchilada Pasta (Printable Version)

Tex-Mex inspired pasta dish with shredded chicken, enchilada sauce, black beans, and gooey melted cheese. Quick and satisfying.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded

→ Pasta

02 - 12 oz penne or rotini pasta

→ Vegetables & Beans

03 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
04 - 1 bell pepper, diced (red or green)
05 - 1 small onion, diced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
08 - 1 cup frozen corn

→ Sauces & Dairy

09 - 2 cups red enchilada sauce
10 - 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
11 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
12 - 0.5 cup sour cream

→ Spices & Seasonings

13 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
14 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
15 - 0.5 teaspoon chili powder
16 - Salt and pepper to taste
17 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Garnishes

18 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
19 - Sliced green onions
20 - Diced avocado

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Sauté diced onion and bell pepper for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
03 - Stir in shredded chicken, drained black beans, diced tomatoes, corn, cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes until heated through.
04 - Pour enchilada sauce into the skillet and bring to a simmer. Add cooked pasta and toss thoroughly to combine.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in sour cream and half of the combined cheeses until smooth and well incorporated.
06 - Sprinkle remaining cheeses evenly across the top. Cover the skillet and let sit for 3-4 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
07 - Transfer to serving dishes and garnish with fresh cilantro, green onions, or avocado as desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in under an hour, and most of that time you're just stirring and tasting.
  • It uses rotisserie chicken or leftovers, so you skip the hardest part.
  • The cheese gets gooey and stretchy, and the enchilada sauce soaks into every bite of pasta.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day after the flavors have had time to settle in together.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining the tomatoes or the sauce will be thin and watery instead of thick and clingy.
  • Add the sour cream off the heat or it can curdle and ruin the creamy texture you're going for.
  • Use a deep skillet or Dutch oven, a shallow pan makes it hard to toss everything together without making a mess.
  • Taste before you add more salt, the enchilada sauce and cheese are already salty and it's easy to overdo it.
03 -
  • Reserve a cup of pasta water before you drain it, you can use it to loosen the sauce if it gets too thick.
  • Shred your own cheese from a block instead of using pre-shredded, it melts smoother and tastes fresher.
  • Let the dish rest for five minutes after you take it off the heat, it helps everything set and makes serving easier.
  • If you want a crispy top, transfer it to a baking dish, add the cheese, and broil for two minutes until it's golden and bubbling.
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