Your favorite chicken enchiladas reinvented into a quick and flavorful pasta dinner, perfect for any night of the week!

Chicken enchilada pasta bake recipe from @bakedbyrachel Your favorite enchiladas reinvented into an easy pasta dinner!

Happy 2016! And now that we’re into the new year, fess up… how long will you be writing 2015 on your checks, etc? Adjusting can be so hard. What’s funny about that though is I’m sure people don’t have nearly as hard of a time adjusting to a new month when writing dates out…right? It’s just the year. And maybe that’s because we’ve had the same date for a full year vs 30 days, but still. Fingers crossed I’m not still writing 2015 in June.

After having our tree up for more than a month, we finally took it down over the weekend. I’m so glad to have things back to normal. Or at least mostly back to normal. We still have some rearranging to do but the big stuff is done. It seemed like this past weekend was the big decluttering weekend for most, as I saw a lot of people talking about taking their trees and decorations down. Did you take yours down already or are they still up?

We also decided to take all of the lights off of the tree before putting it away, since next year when we’ll be replacing all of the lights. What a pain! If you’ve never replaced lights on a pre-lit tree, have your wire cutters handy. The strings were wrapped around every branch multiple times. So glad to be done with that… at least for the next 11 months when we have to put them back on.

Chicken enchilada pasta bake recipe from @bakedbyrachel Your favorite enchiladas reinvented into an easy pasta dinner!

I’m full blown obsessed with all things enchilada flavored. So, don’t be surprised if you see many more recipes, in the coming year, calling for that delicious spicy sauce.

If you’re looking for an easy and flavorful dinner, look no further. This is a crowd pleasing, flavor packed dinner that comes together in just 40 minutes!

Your favorite chicken enchiladas reinvented into a simple pasta dish, perfect for any night of the week! Be sure to add this chicken enchilada pasta bake to your weekly dinner plan!

Chicken enchilada pasta bake recipe from @bakedbyrachel Your favorite enchiladas reinvented into an easy pasta dinner!

Chicken enchilada pasta bake recipe from @bakedbyrachel Your favorite enchiladas reinvented into an easy pasta dinner!
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Chicken Enchilada Pasta Bake

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 8 plus
Your favorite chicken enchiladas reinvented into a quick and flavorful pasta dinner, perfect for any night of the week!

Ingredients
 

Enchilada Sauce:

  • 2 C chicken broth
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano 
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 Tb chili powder
  • 2 Tb all purpose flour

Additional ingredients:

  • 12 oz pasta*
  • 3 C shredded chicken, cooked (roughly 1lb chicken)
  • 3/4 C red bell pepper
  • 3/4 C yellow onion
  • 7 oz corn, drained
  • 3/4 C black beans, drained and rinsed well
  • 1 Tb olive oil
  • 8 oz Colby-Jack cheese, shredded
  • 1/4 C green onions, chopped
  • Tortilla chips
  • Sour cream

Instructions
 

  • In a small saucepan, combine sauce ingredients, whisking together until fully combined. Set over medium-low heat, whisking occasionally until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and transfer to a clean bowl, pressing plastic wrap to the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
  • In a medium skillet over medium heat, saute bell pepper and onion with olive oil until tender and onions are translucent. Add chicken, corn and black beans, tossing occasionally until heated through. Transfer to a large bowl. 
  • Prepare pasta according to manufacturer's directions and drain. 
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. 
  • Combine pasta and chicken mixture with prepared sauce. Toss well to coat evenly. Stir in half of the shredded cheese. Transfer mixture to a 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Top off with remaining cheese. 
  • Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is completely melted. Sprinkle with freshly chopped green onions. Serve with optional tortilla chips and sour cream. 

Notes

Serves roughly 8-10.
*Mezzi rigatoni or medium shells are recommended.
An original recipe from Baked by Rachel
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most accurate data, use your preferred nutrition calculator with the actual ingredients you used to make this recipe.
Did you make this recipe?I'd love to see it! Snap a picture and tag @bakedbyrachel on Instagram!
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keywords: Pasta