Chicken Enchilada Pasta (Printer-friendly)

Creamy Tex-Mex fusion combining shredded chicken, pasta, black beans, and melted cheese in enchilada sauce. Serves 4 in just 40 minutes.

# What You 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
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

# Steps:

01 - Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion and bell pepper for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
03 - Stir in the 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 in the enchilada sauce and bring to a simmer. Add the cooked pasta and toss to combine.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in sour cream and half of the cheeses, mixing until creamy and well blended.
06 - Sprinkle the remaining cheeses evenly over the top. Cover and let sit for 3-4 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
07 - Serve hot, garnished with cilantro, green onions, or avocado if desired.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like enchiladas without the tedious rolling and layering, which means dinner happens in under an hour even on your most exhausted evenings.
  • The creamy, cheesy sauce clings to every piece of pasta, so you get that gooey comfort in every single bite.
  • Leftovers somehow taste even better the next day when all the flavors have mingled overnight in the fridge.
02 -
  • Do not skip draining the tomatoes and beans, the extra liquid will make your sauce runny and sad instead of thick and clingy.
  • Add the sour cream off the heat or on very low heat, high heat will cause it to curdle and separate, which ruins the creamy texture.
  • Use a deep skillet or you will be chasing rogue pasta pieces across your stovetop, I speak from experience.
03 -
  • Salt your pasta water generously, it should taste like the ocean, because this is your only chance to season the pasta itself.
  • Reserve a cup of pasta cooking water before draining, you can use it to loosen the sauce if it gets too thick while mixing.
  • Let the finished dish rest for five minutes before serving, the sauce will thicken slightly and cling better to the pasta.
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