Chicken Enchilada Pasta

4.13 from 16 votes

Chicken Enchilada Pasta takes all the flavors of enchiladas and transforms them into a hearty and cozy one-pan pasta. This weeknight family meal can be made in under 30 minutes.

This recipe can be made entirely in a large oven-safe skillet or can be transferred to a baking dish and finished like a casserole.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Mexican, Tex Mex

Keyword: chicken enchilada, Chicken Recipe, one skillet meal, skillet pasta, tex mex

Servings:

Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef

Cost: $11.50

Equipment

oven-safe skillet
Stockpot or Large Saucepan

Ingredients

8 ounces Pasta, fusilli (sub any pasta shape - penne, rigatoni, or shells would be good here)
1 Tablespoon Cooking Oil
1 1/2 cups Frozen Corn, defrosted
2 cups Shredded Cooked Chicken (use chicken breast, thigh, or rotisserie chicken)
2 cloves Garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Paprika
1 4-ounce can Mild Green Chiles, drained (see note)
1 10-ounce can Red Enchilada Sauce (use mild or medium store-bought or use this homemade version)
1 15-ounce can Fire-Roasted Diced Tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 cup Shredded Colby Jack or Cheddar Cheese, divided
Optional toppings - sour cream, guacamole, chopped red onions, cilantro, salsa, tortilla chips

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions. (You can do this up to 2 days ahead of time. Toss the pasta with some oil to help minimize sticking and refrigerate it if making ahead.)
Turn on the oven’s broiler (this will be used to melt the cheese).
Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat.
Add corn and oil and saute until defrosted. (Note: For extra flavor, keep cooking the corn until it starts to blacken in spots, 4 to 6 minutes.)
Add chicken, garlic, cumin, and paprika. Saute until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir in green chiles, enchilada sauce, and diced tomatoes.
Cook until the sauce starts to bubble, 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove skillet from heat and stir in chicken, 1 cup cheese, and pasta. (Note: If your skillet is not oven safe or is not large enough to hold all of the ingredients, you can transfer the pasta to a 9x13 baking dish.)
Sprinkle remaining cheese over top of the pasta. Heat under the broiler until the cheese is bubbly and melted, 3 to 4 minutes (keep a close eye on it to prevent burning).
Serve pasta immediately with any toppings you’d like.

Notes

Mild Green Chilis - These come in small 4-ounce cans and are mild, medium, or hot. Be sure to grab the one that fits with your spice preference. Even the mild ones have a bit of a kick, so if you don’t want any spice, definitely skip them.

Enchilada Sauce - Be sure to taste the enchilada sauce you use in the dish (whether homemade or store-bought). Most of the flavor and seasoning in the dish comes from the enchilada sauce, so be sure that the sauce has a sufficient amount of salt. If not, you can stir a bit of salt into the enchilada sauce or lightly salt the dish before you top it with cheese.

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