Chicken Enchilada Pasta (Print-Friendly)

Bold Tex-Mex flavors meet comforting pasta in this creamy chicken dish with black beans and melted cheese.

# 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
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 - 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
11 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
12 - ½ cup sour cream

→ Spices & Seasonings

13 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
14 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
15 - ½ 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

# How To Make It:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in under an hour, so you can have a restaurant-style meal on a Tuesday without the stress.
  • The creamy enchilada sauce coats every piece of pasta, giving you that satisfying cheese pull in every bite.
  • You can prep the chicken ahead or use rotisserie, making it even faster when you're racing against hunger.
  • It reheats beautifully, so leftovers taste just as good the next day, sometimes even better.
02 -
  • Don't overcook the pasta in the first step, it will continue to soften in the sauce and you don't want it mushy.
  • If you add the sour cream while the heat is too high, it will separate and look curdled, so always reduce to low first.
  • Rinsing the black beans removes the thick liquid that can make your sauce gloppy and dull the bright flavors.
  • Covering the skillet at the end traps the steam and melts the cheese evenly, giving you that perfect gooey top layer.
03 -
  • Use a deep skillet or a wide Dutch oven so you have room to toss the pasta without making a mess.
  • Taste the sauce before you add the pasta and adjust the seasoning, it's much easier to fix at that stage.
  • If the pasta seems dry after mixing, add a splash of the pasta cooking water to loosen it up and bring the sauce back to life.
  • Shred your own cheese from a block instead of buying pre-shredded, it melts smoother and tastes fresher.
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