Chicken Enchilada Pasta - Shredded Chicken tossed in a super-tasty Mexican Sauce and served with farfalle pasta is one of the most delicious recipes ever. Just in time for Cinco De Mayo, recipes like Salsa Chicken Meatballs, Mexican Cauliflower Rice, Queso Mexican Dip, Chicken Carnitas, Mexican Corn Salad, and this Chicken Enchilada Pasta is everything that you would need to turn your boring day into a fascinating one.
Chicken Enchilada Pasta
As I was thinking about some of the best recipes for Cinco De Mayo, I stopped and starred at this amazing photograph of Chicken Enchilada pasta by a food blogger. You know, as food bloggers we spend so much time learning how to photograph.
We see so many photos, we look at the way light is entering, the way one arranges the props, the layers, the backdrop and so much. A few years ago, when I was not a food blogger, these recipe images seemed so magical to me.
I would take screenshots and save them. But now, it's not magic anymore. It's more like I am trying to figure out the composition, I am thinking about various other things that might have been going in the background when he/she must have photographed this.
So, when I saw this image of Chicken Enchilada Pasta I was blown away. The fresh cilantro, the sour cream, the Pasta was calling out to me.
And, something within me was like - "Let's go make this right away"!
And, so I did. I went into my kitchen. Picked out my pasta and started with the recipe.
Here's the Video for Chicken Enchilada Pasta
How to Make Chicken Enchilada Pasta
STEP 1: Cook pasta as per package directions
Cook pasta (any pasta that you like) as per package directions. Drain and Set aside.
STEP 2: Make Sauce
In a pan heat some olive oil and sauté Onions, Garlic, and diced Bell Pepper. Into that add cooked shredded chicken, Ground Cumin, Chili Powder, Salt, Pepper, Jalapeños, and red enchilada sauce. Stir well to combine. Now add cooked pasta. Toss well to combine.
Add Sour Cream and Shredded Cheese just before you are about to serve. Add your favorite topping and serve right away.
What Can I Pasta Can I use for this Recipe
Basically, you can use any pasta which holds on the sauce. In my opinion, Bow Tie pasta or Penne or Shells will hold on to the sauce. However, you can also use Fusili, Rigatoni, or Ziti.
What Kind of Cheese Should I use?
I have kept the options open. You can use any cheese of your choice. I have used Shredded Cheddar Cheese. But, feel free to use Colby Jack or Monterey Jack Cheese in its place.
How to Cook Chicken?
Oven Method:
The easiest way to cook chicken is simply to season both sides with salt and pepper. Place it in a baking dish.
Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes. I find baking chicken is the easiest way to cook chicken. However, you can also cook in your skillet.
Skillet Method:
Season your chicken breasts with Salt and Pepper. Heat a skillet with some Olive Oil. As the oil gets hot add your chicken breasts. Cook each side for 2-3 minutes. Flip over and cook another side for another 2-3 minutes or until browned.
How to Know if your Chicken is Cooked Perfectly?
To know if your Chicken is cooked perfectly, place an instant-read thermometer in your chicken. If it reaches a temperature of 165°F or 74°C then it is perfectly cooked.
These Instant read thermometers are pretty cheap. You get it for like 20 bucks. And they are so hand in knowing if your chicken is cooked or not. If you haven't got one I would recommend you to get it right away.
How Do I Shred My Chicken?
Shredding Chicken is so fun. My favorite way to shred chicken is the two fork method. Yeah, that's right. I just named this on my own. So, what we do is, first we allow our chicken to cool down completely.
Next, we take two forks, pierce them into chicken and pull it apart from both sides. Sounds fun right?
Another way to shred chicken is to use a Hand Blender but I would not recommend you to use your hand blender. I had tried it once and what happened is my chicken splattered around my kitchen and it was a huge mess.
What to Serve this with?
You can Serve your Chicken Enchilada pasta with the following recipes.
Other recipes you can try:
- Chicken Enchilada Skillet Casserole
- Buffalo Chicken Enchilada Bites
- White Chicken Skillet Lasagna
- Nacho Cheese Dorito Chicken Casserole
If you are making this recipe then please leave a rating below. Also, take a snap and share it on Instagram with #recipemagik. Tag me @recipemagik so that I can see how it turned out.
Chicken Enchilada Pasta
INGREDIENTS
- 2-3 Large Chicken Breasts Cooked and Shredded
- 2 tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium bell pepper diced (red/yellow/green)
- 2 medium Jalapeños chopped
- ⅔ Cup Red Enchilada Sauce
- 2 tsp. Chili Powder
- 1 tsp. Ground Cumin
- ½ tsp. Salt
- 1 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
- 2 Cups Shredded Cheese any cheese of your choice
- 1 Cup Sour Cream
- 1 pound Farfalle Pasta or any pasta of your choice
Topping (OPTIONAL)
- Tomatoes
- Black Olives
- Sour Cream
- Jalapeños
- Lime Wedges
- Fresh Chopped Cilantro or Parsley
INSTRUCTIONS
- Cook pasta as per package directions. Drain and Set aside.Heat Olive Oil in a large Skillet. Add Onions, Garlic, and Bell Pepper. Cook this for a few minutes until the onions turn translucent.
- Add Shredded Chicken, Jalapeños, Red Sauce, Ground Cumin, Chili Powder, Salt, and Pepper. Stir well until combined
- Add Pasta and toss well to combine. Stir in cheese and sour cream just before you are about to serve. Add toppings that you like. Enjoy!
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