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This One Pot Chicken Enchilada Pasta is everything you love about chicken enchiladas cooked together with penne pasta in a single skillet in under 30 minutes. No separate pans, no boiling pasta in a separate pot, no layering and rolling individual enchiladas. Everything goes into one pan, simmers together, and comes out as a deeply flavored, saucy, cheesy pasta that delivers every note of a great enchilada in a fraction of the time.
This is the kind of weeknight dinner that gets added to permanent rotation after the first time you make it. The pasta cooks directly in the enchilada sauce and diced tomatoes with green chilis, absorbing all of that bold, slightly smoky flavor as it softens. By the time the pasta is tender, the sauce has thickened around it and every piece of penne is coated in something that tastes like it simmered all day. Top with avocado, sour cream, cilantro, and chives and you have a dinner that looks and tastes like serious effort with a single pan to wash.
Ingredients Needed to Make Chicken Enchilada Pasta
One pan worth of simple ingredients. Here’s what you need:
- Toppings: cilantro, chives, avocado, sour cream
- Penne pasta (cooks directly in the sauce; penne holds up well to the long simmer without going mushy)
- Can of diced tomatoes with green chilis (adds acidity, texture, and a mild heat throughout)
- Can of enchilada sauce (the primary flavor base; use mild, medium, or hot depending on your heat preference)
- Water (adds the liquid needed to fully cook the pasta while the sauce concentrates)
- Cooked shredded chicken breast (rotisserie chicken makes this effortless)
- Can of black beans, drained and rinsed (adds protein, fiber, and heartiness)
- Frozen corn (adds sweetness and color)
- Taco seasoning (amplifies the Tex-Mex flavor throughout)
- Shredded mild cheddar cheese (stirred in at the end for a melty, creamy finish)
How to Make One Pot Chicken Enchilada Pasta
One skillet, four steps, 30 minutes. Here’s how it comes together.
Step 1: Start the Pasta in the Sauce
In a large skillet over high heat, combine the dry penne pasta, the can of diced tomatoes with green chilis, the can of enchilada sauce, and the water. Stir to combine and bring everything to a boil. The pasta will begin absorbing the sauce and liquid as soon as it hits the heat, and the starch released from the cooking pasta will naturally thicken the sauce as everything cooks together.
Step 2: Add the Remaining Ingredients
Once the mixture reaches a boil, add the shredded cooked chicken, drained and rinsed black beans, frozen corn, and taco seasoning. Stir to distribute everything evenly throughout the pan. Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet with a lid, and let everything simmer together for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender and cooked through and the sauce has thickened around everything.
Step 3: Add the Cheese
Remove the lid and stir in the shredded cheddar cheese. It will melt into the hot pasta and sauce within about 30 seconds of stirring, creating a creamy, slightly thickened finish that pulls the whole dish together. If the pasta seems too thick at this point, add a small splash of water and stir to loosen it slightly.
Step 4: Top and Serve
Serve directly from the skillet into bowls and add toppings as desired. A dollop of sour cream, sliced or diced avocado, fresh cilantro, and sliced chives are all excellent additions that add freshness and contrast to the rich, saucy pasta. Serve immediately while the cheese is still melted and the pasta is hot.
Expert Tip: Stir the pasta occasionally while cooking. This helps prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan and allows the pasta to cook evenly.
Storing and Reheating
This pasta stores well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container. The pasta will absorb more of the sauce as it sits overnight, which thickens the leftovers considerably. This is completely normal and the flavor only deepens with time.
To reheat, add a small splash of water or broth to the portion before microwaving on medium power in 60-second intervals, stirring between each, until heated through. The added liquid loosens the pasta back to its original saucy consistency. Reheating in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water and frequent stirring also works well and gives you more control over the texture.
This dish does not freeze particularly well since the pasta becomes overly soft after freezing and thawing. For best results, enjoy it fresh or from the refrigerator within a few days.
How to Serve One Pot Chicken Enchilada Pasta
Serve it straight from the skillet into deep bowls with toppings set out on the table so everyone can customize their own. Sour cream and avocado are the most important toppings since their cool creaminess balances the warm, slightly smoky sauce beautifully. Fresh cilantro adds a herby brightness that cuts through the richness of the cheese and enchilada sauce.
For a full dinner spread, serve alongside warm flour tortillas for scooping, tortilla chips on the side, or a simple green salad with a lime vinaigrette to add freshness and contrast. A drizzle of hot sauce or a few slices of pickled jalapeño on top adds heat for anyone who wants it.
For another easy one-pan dinner with similar Tex-Mex flavors, the Turkey Taco Quinoa Skillet is a protein-packed weeknight meal that comes together just as quickly. And for a lighter, bowl-style meal in the same flavor family, the Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quinoa Bowls are worth adding to the weeknight rotation alongside this one.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chicken Enchilada Pasta
Can I use uncooked chicken instead of pre-cooked shredded chicken?
Yes with a small adjustment. Dice the raw chicken into small, thin pieces and add it to the skillet along with the pasta and sauce in Step 1. The 20-minute simmer time is long enough to fully cook small pieces of chicken through. Make sure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F before serving. Rotisserie chicken is the fastest and most flavorful option since it’s already cooked and seasoned.
Can I use a different pasta shape?
Yes. Short pasta shapes that hold up well to a long simmer work best. Rotini, bowties, ziti, and rigatoni are all good alternatives to penne. Avoid delicate pasta shapes or very thin pasta like angel hair since they will overcook and become mushy during the 20-minute simmer time. Penne is recommended because its tubular shape traps the sauce inside each piece.
Can I make this spicier?
Several easy ways. Use medium or hot enchilada sauce instead of mild. Add a drained can of diced jalapeños along with the other ingredients. Increase the taco seasoning slightly. Stir in a pinch of cayenne pepper with the taco seasoning. Top with sliced fresh jalapeños or a generous drizzle of your favorite hot sauce. The base recipe is mild enough for most palates and scales up in heat easily.
Can I make this vegetarian?
Yes. Simply leave out the chicken and double the black beans or add a second can of beans for extra protein and substance. The enchilada sauce, taco seasoning, tomatoes, corn, and cheese provide so much flavor that the dish is completely satisfying without the chicken. Diced sautéed zucchini or roasted sweet potato are excellent vegetable additions that add heartiness.
Why cook the pasta in the sauce instead of separately?
Cooking the pasta directly in the enchilada sauce and tomatoes rather than in plain salted water means the pasta absorbs the flavors of the sauce as it hydrates and cooks. The starch released by the pasta also naturally thickens the sauce as it simmers, creating a cohesive, clingy consistency that coats every piece of pasta thoroughly. Cooking separately and then combining produces a less integrated, less flavorful result and creates an extra pot to wash.
Easy One Pot Pasta Recipes
- One Pot Buffalo Chicken Pasta
- One Pot Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Creamy Tomato Basil Tortellini Skillet
- One Pot Lemon Chicken Orzo
One Pot Chicken Enchilada Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 cups penne pasta
- 10 ounce can of diced tomatoes with green chilis
- 10 ounce can of enchilada sauce
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
- 15 ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 3/4 cups mild cheddar cheese, shredded
- cilantro, chives, avocado and sour cream for topping, as desired
Instructions
- In a large skillet over high heat, combine the pasta, tomatoes, enchilada sauce and water.
- Heat to a boil then reduce temperature to medium heat.
- Add chicken, black beans, corn and taco seasoning. Reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for 20 minutes, or until pasta is tender and cooked through.
- Stir in cheese and add additional toppings, as desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe was originally published in 2014, as adapted from Chelsea’s Messy Apron. It was updated in January 2021 with new photos and tips.
Can’t wait to try this, I know it’s going to be a hit!
Lovely recipe. I can’t wait to give this a try. I’m such a huge fan of Mexican cuisine but love pasta too.
This recipe is amazing! Pasta fan…check. Enchilada fan…check check! I could not think of a better combination! Thanks so much for a fabulous recipe!
Made this last week and it was awesome. If I wanted to do this in a slow cooker, how long do you think to cook penne ? Thanks!
I’m so glad to hear you loved this recipe! I haven’t tested this recipe in a slow cooker so I can’t promise any results, but I would add everything including the penne (uncooked).