Queso Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
1 pound penne pasta
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1⁄2 teaspoon coriander
2 tablespoons flour
2 2⁄3 cups milk
2 teaspoons salt
8 ounces cream cheese
12 ounces shredded cheese (Cheddar, Mexican blend, Colby, jack, or some mixture.)
1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes, drained
Instructions
1. Heat oven to 350*F and spray 9- by 12-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook pasta 2 minutes less than package directs. Drain well and place in large bowl.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large skillet over medium heat and cook chicken cubes, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Add chicken to bowl with pasta.
4. Heat remaining oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook until onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add cumin, coriander, and salt. Cook until spices become fragrant, about 2 minutes.
5. Add flour and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk and stir until smooth. Increase heat to medium-high and simmer until thickened. Turn off heat and add cream cheese and 8 ounces of shredded cheese, stirring until melted. Stir in Ro-Tel tomatoes.
6. Add cheese mixture to bowl with pasta and chicken. Stir well until fully incorporated then pour into baking dish. Top with remaining shredded cheese and bake 20 to 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and cheese has melted. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Comments
When I saw this recipe on the blog Evil Shenanigans, I knew that I needed to make it when Art was home. He loves chicken, pasta, and queso, so this would be a clear winner. Art did, indeed, love the dish! So did Lance and I! Everything came together quickly which would make this an easy meal for a busy weeknight or a night when I’m not feeling too thrilled with cooking. I modified the recipe a bit to take into account that I greatly dislike using partial containers of ingredients. I believe that the only change I might make next time is to use green onions instead of yellow onions, and maybe to reduce the cooking time in the beginning of step 4 so that the green onions would retain more of their rawness. I will definitely be making this again in the future.
Internet - Evil Shenanigans