Southwestern Cheddar Chicken Pasta Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350˚F (180˚C)
• Cook the fusilli pasta according to box instructions. This will make about 4½ cups (900g) of cooked pasta.
• In a large bowl, mix together cooked pasta, corn, black beans, cooked chicken, alfredo sauce, and taco seasoning.
• Pour into a 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) baking pan and spread evenly around the pan.
• Sprinkle Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese over the top and cover with foil.
• Bake for 35 minutes, uncovering after 20 minutes to allow the cheese to brown.
• Garnish with cilantro.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.
• In 4-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in onion, bell pepper, poblano and jalapeño chiles; cook about 6 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Stir in flour and taco seasoning mix; cook and stir 1 minute. Gradually beat in broth with whisk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in cream cheese and Cheddar cheese.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta as directed on package for minimum cook time. Drain; stir pasta into sauce with chicken, frozen corn and black beans. Pour pasta mixture into baking dish, and pour enchilada sauce over top.
• Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with tortilla chips. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through and sauce is bubbling around edges. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with cilantro and red onion just before serving.
• To freeze: Line 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with foil, making sure foil is as smooth as possible, as wrinkled foil may get stuck in sauce during freezing process. Leave enough overhang to lift casserole out of dish. Spray foil with cooking spray. Cover and refrigerate sauce 30 to 40 minutes before assembling casserole. Mix sauce with cooked pasta, chicken, frozen corn and beans; spread in lined baking dish (do not add enchilada sauce); cover tightly with another layer of foil. Freeze unbaked casserole about 8 hours or until completely frozen. Transfer frozen casserole to labeled 2-gallon resealable freezer plastic bag. Remove air; seal and freeze up to three months. To bake: Remove foil, and transfer to 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Cover and thaw in refrigerator until completely thawed, at least 48 hours. Heat oven to 350°F. Remove cover, and top with enchilada sauce. Bake 20 minutes; top with crushed tortilla chips. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through and bubbly around edges (165°F in center). Let stand 15 minutes. Top with cilantro and red onion just before serving.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; cook the rotini at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes; drain.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Toss in chicken, onion powder, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Cook and stir until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 7 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
• Whisk chicken broth and flour together in a bowl until well blended. Pour over the chicken in the skillet. Add half the Cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes, cream, butter, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce; stir to combine. Continue stirring over medium heat until sauce starts to thicken, about 10 minutes. Stir cooked pasta into skillet.
• Pour chicken-pasta mixture into a glass baking dish. Sprinkle remaining Cheddar cheese on top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is bubbly and melted, about 15 minutes.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until it is almost done. Drain and set aside.
• Season the chicken with the salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, chili powder and smoked paprika. Add oil to large skillet and cook the chicken about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from skillet with slotted spoon. Add the onion garlic and jalapeno and cook until softened. Add the wine and deglaze the pan and let most evaporate. Remove from heat.
• In another pan mix the butter and flour and make a roux. Slowly add the milk and cook until thickened.Add the cheese and let the cheese melt.
• Place the skillet back on the heat and add the chicken, pasta, and cheese sauce. Cook until warmed through. Garnish with cilantro

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add dry elbow pasta to boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes or until al dente, drain and reserve.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and jalapeno. Saute for 4 to 5 minutes or until tender. Add chicken, cilantro, salt, cumin, pepper and tomatoes; saute for 3 to 4 more minutes, remove from heat and set aside.
• In a separate large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Remove from heat and whisk in flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Place back on medium-high heat, slowly whisk in milk and bring to a boil while continuously whisking. Reduce heat and stir in Cheddar, Monterey Jack, smoked Cheddar and cream cheese until melted and smooth.
• Stir in cooked elbow noodles and chicken mixture. Pour mac and cheese mixture into a greased 3 quart casserole dish. In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter and bread crumbs. Toss to coat and sprinkle crumbs and pepitas over top of mac and cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and crumbs browned. Enjoy!

Steps:

• Combine cumin, salt, dried chipotle pepper, and paprika in a large, resealable plastic bag. Seal bag and shake to mix. Measure 2 teaspoons of the seasoning into a large bowl; add diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, black beans, and corn to the bowl and stir.
• Put chicken in the bag with the remaining seasoning; shake to coat.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Turn seasoned chicken out into the skillet, add red onion, and saute in the hot oil until the chicken is browned, about 5 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium-high. Stir tomato mixture with the chicken; bring to a boil, add rice, and stir.
• Reduce heat to low. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese over the chicken mixture. Place a cover on the skillet and simmer until the rice is tender and the chicken no longer pink in the middle, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat to cool for 5 minutes before serving.