We love enchiladas. When we go out to eat at Mexican restaurants, enchiladas are frequently my go-to order. I love the variety of sauces and fillings, and two enchiladas paired with beans and rice (salty margarita on the side of course), is the perfect dinner. But sometimes, I don’t have the time to make enchiladas. Making a separate filling and sauce can take time, not to mention I’m usually more likely to have pasta in my pantry then tortillas. Thankfully, this chicken enchilada pasta bake is easy and delicious and full of enchilada flavor!
The enchilada sauce that I use for this recipe is made from scratch, and I think you’ll find that most of the ingredients used in it are pantry staples. Of course, you can use your favorite pre-made canned enchilada sauce as well! I have had a few experiences where I pick up enchilada sauce at the grocery store and find that it’s too spicy for my liking, so I usually make my own to control the heat in it. But if you are in a hurry or short a sauce ingredient, go ahead and use pre-made! It’ll be just as good, and using pre-made sauce takes the ingredient list for this recipe down to just 8 ingredients.
Of course, you can still pair this chicken enchilada pasta bake with a margarita if you want to, that’s a totally acceptable way to enjoy this meal! I use chicken in this recipe, but to keep it meatless, use a can or two of black beans or a mix of black beans and pinto beans to make it a vegetarian recipe.
- 1 lb. pasta
- 2 tbsp. oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, seeds removed, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, seeds removed, chopped
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken (substitute black beans or pinto beans if vegetarian)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tbsp. oil
- 2 tbsp. flour
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 tbsp. cumin
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. oregano
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 2 tsp. smoked paprika
- Fresh cilantro for topping, optional
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce. In a small saucepan, heat oil. Whisk in flour, then add broth and whisk until smooth.
- Add chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt, oregano, onion powder, and smoked paprika. Bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally, and cooking until thickened.
- Back to the pasta: heat oil in the pan. Add onion, jalapeno, and red and green peppers. Cook until tender. Add chicken or beans and stir to combine. Return pasta to pot and stir to combine. Add sauce and one cup of cheese and stir to combine.
- Transfer pasta mixture to a baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes until cheese is melted.
- Serve topped with fresh cilantro, if desired.
- Enjoy!
Like what you see? Pin it here!
[…] have shared plenty of pasta recipes on the blog. Pasta bakes and stovetop pasta recipes of all types can be found in the blog archives. But all of these recipes […]