This Chicken Enchilada Pasta takes the comfort-food-goodness of your favorite enchiladas, and turns it into an easy pasta dinner you’ll want to make again and again! Cheesy, hearty, and loaded with Tex-Mex flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Enchilada Pasta Recipe
Every cook needs a stock of super-simple weeknight recipes that come together in a snap, yet taste like they were lovingly made from scratch. And after a long day, sometimes you just want more than a simple sandwich! Here are just a few reasons why this enchilada pasta will become part of your recipe rotation:
- So Easy: When it comes to weeknight dinners, we like to keep things simple. And when we find a delicious meal that comes together in under 30 minutes, that’s a keeper! Save your energy for that Julia Child beef bourguignon for the weekend!
- That Tex-Mex Flavor: When we’re craving something satisfying and hearty, Tex-Mex is always our go-to. Those spicy and rich flavors really hit the spot and add a whole new layer to the meaning of comfort food.
- Totally Customizable: At its heart, enchilada pasta should mimic the flavors of an enchilada. But there are so many kinds of enchilada flavor combinations out there! From enchiladas suizas that use a cream sauce instead of enchilada sauce to enchiladas con mole that turns to a mole sauce, the sky is the limit! Also feel free to change out the spices, veggies, beans, or meat to your liking.
If you’re a fan of cheesy pasta bakes, you have to try our million dollar spaghetti next! And if you’re really feeling those Mexican flavors, be sure to add our taco mac and cheese and Mexican casserole to your dinner rotation!
What You’ll Need
To make this recipe, you’ll need to have some shredded chicken on hand, as well as some pantry basics like canned tomatoes and black beans. Scroll down to the recipe card for exact amounts.
- Pasta: Not quite a whole box – you’ll want 12 ounces of your favorite pasta, cooked and drained. Smaller pasta shapes like penne are easiest for serving, but longer pasta is fine, too.
- Olive Oil
- Canned Corn and Canned Black Beans: You can substitute frozen corn if you prefer.
- Garlic: Minced fresh garlic is tastiest, but garlic powder will also work.
- Spices: We like to keep this simple with a little bit of cumin, and a little bit of smoked paprika. Feel free to add more spices if you like.
- Canned Tomatoes: Fire roasted tomatoes add tons of great flavor.
- Canned Chilies: Diced green chilies are usually on the mild side, but if you are not a fan, feel free to leave them out or replace them with sautéed bell pepper.
- Enchilada Sauce: This easy homemade enchilada sauce is a great option, or you can use your favorite store-bought enchilada sauce.
- Shredded Chicken: You can make your own shredded chicken (try this method for the best shredded chicken or this instant pot shredded chicken breast recipe) or shred a rotisserie chicken.
- Cheese: Shredded Mexican cheese blend is great, or you can substitute another type of cheese such as cheddar, colby jack, or pepper jack.
- Toppings: While these are optional, they’re really good! Add some sour cream or Mexican crema, avocado or fresh guacamole, salsa or pico de gallo, and some chopped fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley.
How to Make Chicken Enchilada Pasta
Making this chicken enchilada pasta couldn’t be simpler and the whole dish is ready in under a half an hour. Check out the recipe card for detailed instructions.
- Prepare: Preheat your oven to 375°F and spray a 6-quart casserole dish with nonstick spray.
- Make the Enchilada Mixture: While your pasta is cooking in a big pot of boiling water, heat a large skillet with a little olive oil. Saute the corn for a few minutes and then add the black beans and garlic and cook for a couple more minutes. Add the spices, tomatoes, green chilies, and enchilada sauce to the veggies. Bring the entire thing to a simmer and then stir in the chicken and pasta.
- Assemble and Bake: Pour the chicken enchilada mixture into the baking dish and top with shredded cheese. Bake for 10 minutes until the cheese is melty and golden brown. Serve and enjoy!
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Tips for Best Results
What else should you know about making this easy chicken enchilada pasta? We have a few tips to share to make sure your dish turns out perfectly every time.
- Beans: You don’t have to stick with black beans – any kind of beans will work! Alternatively, if you don’t really like cooking with beans, just leave them out or substitute with a veggie of similar size.
- Tomatoes: Fire roasted tomatoes are great, but you could definitely swap them with regular canned tomatoes or garlic roasted tomatoes if you’d like.
- Chilies: Canned chilies can be swapped with roasted and chopped poblanos, if that’s your style!
- Change Out the Protein: Enchilada pasta would also be fantastic with browned ground beef or shredded turkey. Get creative and use what you have on hand in your fridge or freezer.
What to Serve With Enchilada Pasta
Chicken enchilada pasta is really a complete meal all on its own, but it is nice to serve a side dish to round things out. A simple side salad and some garlic bread are pretty perfect in our opinion! Here are a couple of good side dish recipes for inspiration:
- Greek Salad: Made with fresh greens and colorful veggies, a classic Greek salad is the perfect starter or side with just about any pasta bake.
- Homemade Garlic Bread: Any kind of crusty bread can transform into amazing garlic bread. But if you want to amp it up, give our goat cheese garlic bread a try! It’s warm, cozy, and ultra-flavorful, thanks to tangy goat cheese and plenty of garlic. Yum!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
This enchilada pasta recipe makes really great leftovers, which is a good thing since it makes so much! Here’s how to handle them safely:
- Refrigerate: Store your leftover chicken enchilada pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Reheat: If you’re heating up an individual portion for lunch the next day, the microwave is your best bet. Be sure to give the entire dish a good stir halfway through to ensure it heats all the way through. If you’re reheating most of the dish for dinner the next night, pop it into the oven and let it warm for 25-30 minutes.
- Freeze: Enchilada pasta freezes really well, so it’s a great recipe to double up on. Just cool the pasta bake down and pack it into freezer containers or bags. Freeze for up to 2 months, and thaw in the fridge before reheating.
More Easy Chicken Pasta Recipes
- Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Creamy Chicken Pasta Salad
- Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Bake
- Chicken Bacon Spaghetti
- Creamy Pasta With Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
Chicken Enchilada Pasta Bake
Ingredients
For the Pasta Bake
- 12 ounces pasta, cooked and drained according to package directions
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 (15 oz) can whole kernel corn, drained (or frozen corn)
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 (15 oz) can fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 (7 oz) can diced green chilies
- 1 ½ cups enchilada sauce
- 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
- 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
Optional Toppings
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 avocado, sliced, or ½ cup guacamole
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- ½ cup salsa or pico de gallo
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 6-quart casserole dish with nonstick spray, and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil and add the corn. Saute for a few minutes, or for more flavor, turn up the heat and let it blacken or char slightly. Then add the black beans and garlic, and cook for 2 – 3 minutes.
- Add the cumin, smoked paprika, tomatoes, green chilies, and enchilada sauce. Heat thoroughly. Add the chicken and stir to combine.
- Pour into a casserole dish and top with shredded cheese.
- Place into the oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and slightly browned.
- Serve topped with sour cream, avocado, etc.
Notes
Nutrition
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