Chicken Enchilada Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb. mezzi rigatoni
- 1 pound chicken breasts - boneless skinless , pan roasted about 2 breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup heaping cup diced onion , white or yellow will work
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heaping cup diced red pepper , 1 large pepper
- 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, I left mine whole
- 1 can red enchilada sauce, 15 ounces
- 1/2 cup whipped cream cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Toppings:
- 2 ears grilled corn , about 1/2 cup removed from Cobb
- Sliced jalapeno , thinly sliced
- 2-3 tablespoons black olives , diced
- 1/2 avocado , sliced
- fresh scallions, chopped
Equipment
- pasta pot
- oven safe saute pan
- skillet
- colander
Instructions
- Boil a pot of water, season the water with salt and cook your pasta according to the package. I like to cook mine al dente because it will continue to cook once it is added to the sauce. Once the pasta is cooked, drain the water in a colander and set it aside.
- Gently spray a skillet with cooking spray and begin to cook your chicken breasts over medium heat. I seared mine for about 4-5 minutes on each side. Once they have a nice sear on both sides, reduce the heat and allow the breasts to finish cooking. Timing will depend on the size of the chicken breasts. Thick chicken breasts may take longer. You'll just want to make sure they are fully cooked through. Mine took about 14-15 minutes.
- Next, grab a large (oven safe) sauté pan with sides. Add the olive oil, diced onion, and minced garlic. Sweat the onion and garlic until they begin to brown.
- Next, you’ll add the diced red peppers and tomatoes. Stir well.
- Once the tomatoes begin to blister, add the enchilada sauce and cream cheese. Stir until well combined. I used a whisk to make sure the cream cheese was well incorporated.
- Add the cooked pasta into the pan with the enchilada sauce mixture. Toss everything together until it is well coated.
Assemble the pasta:
- Next, you'll gently nestle the cooked chicken breasts into the pasta. Top everything with the mozzarella cheese and broil the entire dish in the oven for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese begins to bubble and lightly brown.
- Top with sliced jalapeno, diced black olives, chopped scallions, sliced avocado and grilled corn kernels.
- Serve immediately and enjoy. When reheating this dish, add a little chicken broth to the skillet to reconstitute the pasta! It will be creamy and delicious all over again!