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cavatappi with shredded cooked skinless chicken breast and black beans coated in a smooth red chile-tomato sauce with melted cheese blended through it
Andre Lewis

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

Build the chile sauce in the skillet instead of treating it as a thin liquid to pour over finished noodles. A little flour gives it enough body to coat the pasta, and the chicken poaching broth supplies the measured liquid. Black beans make the filling more substantial without needing extra cheese. Stir the Monterey Jack in at the end, when it can melt into the red sauce smoothly. This is a stovetop pasta dinner, so keep it moving through the last toss rather than giving it a long casserole bake.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 8 oz dry cavatappi
  • 1 tbsp fine salt for pasta water
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast sliced horizontally into 1/2-inch cutlets
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 1 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp sweet paprika
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup canned black beans drained and rinsed
  • 3 oz Monterey Jack cheese grated
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt for sauce

Method
 

  1. Bring broth to a gentle simmer in a saucepan, add chicken and poach for 10 to 15 minutes until at least 165°F. Remove and shred, reserving 1 1/2 cups hot poaching broth.
  2. Meanwhile, cook cavatappi in water with the tablespoon salt until 1 minute short of the package time. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
  3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat and stir in flour for 1 minute. Add chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, oregano and tomato paste and stir for 30 seconds.
  4. Gradually whisk in reserved broth and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes until smooth. Add beans, shredded chicken, pasta, sauce salt and 1/4 cup reserved pasta water and toss over low heat for 2 minutes.
  5. Remove from heat, melt Monterey Jack into the sauce and loosen with more pasta water if needed. Serve while the red sauce still moves easily around the noodles.