Southwest chicken pasta is penne tossed with taco-seasoned chicken, black beans, corn and Rotel-style tomatoes in a creamy sharp cheddar sauce, all made in one skillet while the pasta boils. It’s on the table in about 30 minutes, with cilantro, sour cream, salsa or avocado on top if you like.
How to make southwest chicken pasta: boil the penne, brown bite-size chicken coated in taco seasoning until it reads 165°F, soften onion and garlic in the same skillet, stir in tomatoes with green chilies, black beans, corn, heavy cream and cheddar for 4 to 5 minutes, then toss in the pasta, chicken and its juices.
Why You’ll Love It
- About 30 minutes start to finish.
- One skillet for the chicken and the sauce.
- Pantry cans: black beans, corn and diced tomatoes with green chilies.
- Feeds 4, with a full pound of pasta.
Which Pasta to Use (and How to Keep the Sauce on It)
Penne is the pick here: the short tubes hold the creamy sauce and the chunky beans and corn. Other short, shaped noodles like rotini, macaroni or farfalle also work. Long noodles like fettuccine are not recommended for this one.
- Salt the water. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of kosher salt to the pasta water.
- Drain, don’t rinse. Drain the pasta and set it aside without rinsing it.
- Rinse the cans instead. Drain and rinse the black beans and corn, which can be quite salty.
- Save the chicken juices. Pour everything from the chicken plate back into the skillet with the pasta.
- Stir until coated. Keep stirring until every piece of pasta is covered in sauce.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken. One pound of chicken breast or thighs, cut into small bite-size pieces and coated in 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning, store-bought or homemade.
Cans. A 15-ounce can of black beans, a 15-ounce can of corn and a 10-ounce can of tomatoes with green chilies, such as Rotel. Frozen corn works too: use 1 1/2 cups and thaw it first.
Cream and cheese. One cup of heavy cream and 1 cup of grated sharp cheddar. Half and half can replace the cream.
Aromatics. One cup of diced onion (one medium onion) and a tablespoon of minced garlic, about 4 to 5 cloves.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces penne pasta, or another short pasta shape
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 pound chicken breast or thighs, cut into small bite-size pieces
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 cup diced onion (1 medium onion)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (4 to 5 cloves)
- 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes with green chilies, such as Rotel
- 1 can (15 ounces) corn, drained, or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
- 1 cup heavy cream (half and half also works)
- 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- Optional toppings: cilantro, sour cream, salsa, lime juice, extra cheese, avocado
How to Make Southwest Chicken Pasta
1. Cook the pasta. Cook the penne according to the package directions, then drain and set aside. Coat the chicken pieces with the taco seasoning.
2. Cook the chicken. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the chicken and cook until it’s cooked through and reads 165°F on a food thermometer. Move the chicken to a plate and cover it with foil.
3. Cook the onion and garlic. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook about 2 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more, stirring often.
4. Make the sauce. Add the tomatoes with green chilies, black beans, corn, heavy cream and cheddar. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often.
5. Combine and serve. Stir in the pasta, the chicken and all the juices from the plate. Stir until the pasta is well coated. Add your favorite toppings, or serve it as is.
Variations
- Rotisserie chicken: leftover shredded or rotisserie chicken is already cooked; skip step 2 and stir it in at the end with the pasta until heated through.
- No chicken: leave it out; the pasta still has the tomatoes, green chilies, black beans and corn.
- Thighs: use chicken thighs in place of breast.
- Beans: kidney beans in place of black beans.
- More heat: add jalapeños or other chilies.
- More vegetables: stir in spinach or broccoli, or add more cheese.
- Pasta swaps: whole wheat pasta takes slightly longer to cook; gluten-free pasta works for anyone avoiding gluten.
Storage & Reheating
Let the pasta cool, then refrigerate it within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers. It keeps 3 to 4 days. You can freeze leftovers for 3 to 4 months, but USDA FSIS lists cream sauces among foods that don’t freeze well, so the sauce may separate and look curdled after thawing. Reheat covered on the stove or in the microwave to 165°F, bringing the sauce to a rolling boil on the stove. Don’t reheat it in a slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
Top it with cilantro, sour cream, salsa, a squeeze of lime, extra cheese or avocado. For more Tex-Mex dinners, try one pot taco spaghetti, taco casserole or 8 can chicken taco soup. For more chicken pasta, there’s chicken bacon spinach penne, Italian chicken pasta and chicken broccoli alfredo pasta bake.
Frequently Asked Questions
What pasta should I use?
Penne, or another short shaped pasta like rotini, macaroni or farfalle. Long noodles like fettuccine are not recommended.
Can I use leftover or rotisserie chicken?
Yes. Skip cooking the chicken and stir the shredded chicken in at the end with the pasta until heated through.
Can I make it without chicken?
Yes. Leave the chicken out and keep everything else the same.
How long do leftovers keep?
3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat covered to 165°F on the stove or in the microwave.
What can I add to it?
Jalapeños for heat, spinach or broccoli for greens, more cheese, or toppings like avocado, salsa and sour cream.
Final Notes
Short pasta, rinsed beans and corn, and the chicken juices stirred back in keep every bite coated in sauce. Tell me in the comments which toppings you piled on.
Southwest Chicken Pasta
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Ingredients
- 16 ounces penne pasta or another short pasta shape
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 pound chicken breast or thighs, cut into small bite-size pieces
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning store-bought or homemade
- 1 cup onion diced; one medium onion
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced; about 4 to 5 cloves
- 15 ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
- 10 ounce can tomatoes with green chilies such as Rotel
- 15 ounce can corn drained; or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
- 1 cup heavy cream half and half also works
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese grated
- cilantro, sour cream, salsa, lime juice, extra cheese, avocado optional toppings
Instructions
- Cook the penne according to the package directions, then drain and set aside. Coat the chicken pieces with the taco seasoning.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it's hot, add the chicken and cook until it's cooked through and reads 165F on a food thermometer. Move the chicken to a plate and cover it with foil.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook about 2 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more, stirring often.
- Add the tomatoes with green chilies, black beans, corn, heavy cream and cheddar. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Stir in the pasta, the chicken and all the juices from the plate. Stir until the pasta is well coated. Add your favorite toppings, or serve it as is.
Notes
Nutrition
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