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    Home » Recipes » Main Dishes

    Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Pasta

    April 13, 2020 by LaKita 18 Comments

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    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Pasta combines the flavor of enchiladas with pasta. It is spicy, cheesy, flavorful, and so easy to make. The perfect weeknight meal the whole family will love.

    Overhead view cheesy chicken enchilada pasta in white baking dish with napkin, plates, and forks

    This recipe is so simple, so hearty, and so perfect for a quick dinner that the whole family will enjoy. I love recipes that are one-pot wonders because they require less fuss and less mess to clean up. This cheesy enchilada pasta is also thick, creamy, and delicious. It is a full meal by itself but feel free to serve it with a side of your favorite vegetables, salad, or bread.

    Be sure to give this recipe a try and let me know your experience in the comment section below.

    What ingredients to make this enchilada pasta?

    ingredients for chicken enchilada pasta

    1. Chicken breast
    2. Pasta
    3. All-purpose flour
    4. Butter
    5. Enchilada sauce
    6. Cream cheese
    7. Red bell pepper
    8. Green onion
    9. Shredded cheese

    What kind of pasta to use for this recipe?

    For this recipe, you may use any pasta that you prefer. However, penne and regular shells pasta work the best. I have used them both and they work really well in this pasta recipe. You may also use regular, gluten-free or chickpea pasta, just be sure to follow the package instructions for cooking.

    How to make chicken enchilada pasta:

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Start by heating a large skillet over medium heat.  Spray with a bit of cooking spray and place the chicken breasts in the skillet.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Cook until the chicken is fully cooked and no longer pink in the middle.  Once cooked, remove the chicken from the pan and cut into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

    While the chicken is cooking bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta for about 6 minutes or just a little over half of the suggested cooking time.  You want the pasta al dente because it will finish cooking in the oven.  Once cooked, strain the water off the pasta and set aside.

    last pot of water boiling on stovetop

    In the pan you cooked the chicken, add the butter scraping the bottom of the pan.  Once the butter has melted, add the flour and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes to fully cook the raw flour. Pour the enchilada sauce into the pan and whisk until thick and bubbly.

    enchilada sauce added to cast iron skillet with whisk on stovetop

    Add the cream cheese and stir until fully combined.

    cream cheese added to enchilada sauce in skillet with whisk

    Add the red pepper, green onions, chicken and pasta into the pan.  Stir until everything is coated with the sauce.

    red pepper and green onion added to sauce in skillet on stovetop cooked chicken added to skillet with sauce with wooden spoon

    Pour the mixture into a 9x13 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.  Pour the pasta into the pan and spread evenly.

    uncooked chicken enchilada pasta in white baking dish

    Sprinkle with the cheese and bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese melted.

    chicken enchilada pasta topped with shredded cheese in white baking dish

    Top with additional red pepper, green onions and a dash of hot sauce before serving if you prefer.

    close up side view cheesy chicken enchilada pasta in white baking dish with metal serving spoon over it

    Tips to make the best cheesy pasta:

    • Be sure not to clean the skillet after cooking the chicken. Use the pan drippings to mix with the butter and flour.
    • You may substitute the chicken breast for chicken thighs if you prefer.
    • Be careful not to overcook the chicken or the pasta, both will finish in the oven. So it is okay for it to be a little underdone. Make sure the chicken is no longer pink and the pasta is al dente.
    • Use your favorite enchilada sauce for this recipe. Mild, medium, or hot will all work.
    enchilada pasta on white plate

    Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Pasta

    LaKita Anderson
    Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Pasta combines the flavor of enchiladas with pasta. It is spicy, cheesy, flavorful, and so easy to make. The perfect weeknight meal the whole family will love.
    4.28 from 22 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8
    Calories 377 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 pound chicken breast
    • Salt and ground black pepper
    • 1 pound pasta, penne or shells
    • 3 tablespoons butter
    • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
    • 28 ounces enchilada sauce, mild or hot
    • 4 ounces cream cheese
    • 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
    • 6 green onions, chopped
    • 1 ½ cups Mexican blend shredded cheese

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
    • Start by heating the largest skillet you have on medium heat.  Spray with a bit of cooking spray and place the chicken breasts in the skillet.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Cook until the chicken is fully cooked and no longer pink in the middle.  Once cooked, remove the chicken from the pan and cut into bite-sized pieces.  Set aside.
    • While the chicken is cooking bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta for about 6 minutes or just a little over half of the suggested cooking time.  You want the pasta al dente because it will finish cooking in the oven.  Once cooked, strain the water and set aside.
    • In the pan you cooked the chicken, add the butter scraping the bottom of the pan.  Once the butter has melted, add the flour and cook for about 2-3 minutes to fully cook the raw flour.
    • Pour the enchilada sauce into the pan and whisk until thick and bubbly.
    • Add the cream cheese and stir until fully incorporated.
    • Add the red pepper, green onions, chicken and pasta into the pan.  Stir until everything is coated with the sauce.
    • Pour into a 9×13-inch baking pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.  Pour the pasta into the pan and spread evenly.  Sprinkle with the cheese and bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese melted.
    • Top with additional red pepper, green onions and a dash of hot sauce. Enjoy!
    • Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 377kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 24gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 83mgSodium: 1158mgPotassium: 328mgFiber: 3gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1694IUVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 167mgIron: 2mg

    *All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.

    Keyword enchilada pasta
    Tried this recipe?Mention @SimplyLaKita or tag #SimplyLakita

    close up side view serving of chicken enchilada pasta on white plate

    Need more chicken dinner recipes? Try these:

    • Roasted Chicken Thighs with Potatoes and Carrots
    • BBQ Chicken Sliders 
    • Chicken Pot Pie
    • Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

    Have any comments, questions, or other delicious ways to use this Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Pasta? Please share them in the comments below!


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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lisa K.

      May 26, 2014 at 2:18 am

      Delicious! Great recipe--will be making it again.

      Reply
      • admin

        May 26, 2014 at 8:54 pm

        Great--Thank you!

        Reply
    2. Laura Berger

      September 28, 2020 at 12:50 pm

      What is the measurement of a serving size?

      Reply
      • LaKita

        September 28, 2020 at 3:52 pm

        Hi Laura! It is approximately a 1 cup serving size, hope this helps.

        Reply
        • Laura

          September 29, 2020 at 8:16 pm

          5 stars
          Thanks Lakita. The dish was wonderful! Thank you for sharing the recipe.

          Reply
          • LaKita

            September 30, 2020 at 1:21 am

            Thank you Laura! So glad you enjoyed it!

            Reply
        • Miranda

          April 26, 2021 at 12:03 pm

          Hi, I see that the serving size is one cup. Are the nutrition guidelines per that one cup? So per serving it’s 31 carbs 24 protein and 17 fat?

          Reply
          • LaKita

            May 05, 2021 at 1:58 pm

            Hi Miranda! Yes, that is correct according to the regular penne pasta that I used, if you make any adjustments it will be different.

            Reply
    3. Shay

      February 03, 2021 at 2:07 pm

      Ever tried it with green enchiladas sauce? Sounds like it could still work, maybe with green bell peppers instead of red.

      Reply
      • LaKita

        February 16, 2021 at 7:17 pm

        I have no but it seems like it would work and be delicious!

        Reply
    4. Chris

      March 12, 2021 at 10:32 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious!! I used shredded rotisserie chicken instead and it still came out great .

      Reply
      • LaKita

        March 17, 2021 at 12:11 pm

        Thank you Chris! So glad to hear and love the idea of using rotisserie chicken!!

        Reply
    5. Victoria

      April 19, 2021 at 12:27 pm

      Did you use protein pasta?

      Reply
      • LaKita

        April 20, 2021 at 8:41 pm

        I have not but it should work in this recipe just fine.

        Reply
    6. Liz C

      May 28, 2021 at 6:45 pm

      This was yummy! My boys wanted burger instead of chicken which worked out well. I also added a can of sliced black olives. Will make again, Thanks!

      Reply
      • LaKita

        June 04, 2021 at 11:16 am

        Thank you so much Liz! So glad you enjoyed and love the addition of black olives!

        Reply
    7. Tiina

      July 03, 2021 at 7:56 am

      could this be assembled a day or two prior to baking?

      Reply
      • LaKita

        July 04, 2021 at 7:27 pm

        Yes it can! Just store unbaked in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm LaKita, a food blogger living in Northwest/Panhandle Florida. I love creating and sharing recipes that are simple to make and comforting to eat. Follow me for more delicious recipes.

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