Paired with an IPA
If there is one thing I crave on a weekly basis, it is recipes that have Mexican and southwestern flavors. We were spoiled when we lived in Colorado. We had Mexican restaurants galore. Each and every one of them was better than the last. I was able to fulfill my weekly taco cravings, and all was well with the world. Now we live in Wyoming, and while we do have our fair share of decent Thai restaurants and steak houses, we lack when it comes to Mexican food. I’m not kidding when I tell you that I frequently drag Zach down to Fort Collins, Boulder, and Denver just to get my Mexican food fix. When I fail in convincing him to take the drive, I end up making the greatest food in the world myself.
Zach and I do street tacos all the time. This should come as no surprise. I have a ton of taco recipes on this website, but I do like to change it up sometimes. We eat enchiladas quite often, and we are always adding Mexican spices to our favorite dishes. This 30 minute chicken enchilada pasta bake is one of my most recent obsessions.
30 Minute Chicken Enchilada Pasta Bake
Now that summer vacation is basically over, I think we can all agree that the easier the weeknight recipe the better. Pasta is usually the way to go. It’s simple and usually pretty delicious. I know. I know. Enchilada pasta has been done a million times. If you head over to Google or Pinterest and type in “enchilada pasta” you will get pages and pages of recipes. Of course, I think mine is the best. :) I may just be a LITTLE biased. It uses chicken instead of beef, and is ready in under 30 minutes. I also think the toppings totally make the dish, and this chicken enchilada pasta bake is LOADED with the perfect toppings.
I highly recommend trying this recipe at some point this fall. Your family will love you for it! Pair it with an IPA. The hoppiness from an IPA will really tone down the spice! Enjoy!
Serves 10
Justine
5 minPrep Time
25 minCook Time
30 minTotal Time
Save Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 ounces egg noodles
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 10 ounces red enchilada sauce
- 1 cup corn kernels
- 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 ounce can diced green chilies
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cups monterey jack cheese
- Garnishes: cherry tomatoes, tortilla strips, cilantro leaves, limes, sour cream, avocado
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and add the egg noodles. Cook the noodles until they are almost done, but still have a little bite, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
- While the water is coming to a boil and you are cooking your noodles, prepare you chicken enchilada mixture.
- To a large oven-safe skillet that has been sprayed with a nonstick spray, add the chicken. Cook until the chicken is just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, salt, black pepper, cream cheese, and sour cream. Stir until the cream cheese has melted, about 4 minutes. Stir in the enchilada sauce and carefully fold in the corn kernels, black beans, and green chilies. Remove from heat. Add the noodles, 3/4 cup of the cheddar cheese, and 1 cup of the monterey jack cheese to the pan. Very gently fold the ingredients together. Top with the remaining cheddar and monterey jack cheese.
- Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes before garnishing with desired garnishes! Enjoy!
