Enchilada Pasta mixes delicious enchilada flavors with pasta’s heartiness, creating the BEST comfort food in just one skillet!

Enchilada Pasta in the skillet ready to be enjoyed.

Enchilada Pasta Is…

  • Quick and simple: Done in under 30 minutes with just one pan.
  • Tasty: Full of enchilada sauce, spices, and cheese.
  • Cozy meal: Enchiladas meet pasta in the best way.
  • Make it yours: Go with mild or spicy, your choice!
  • Easy to stock: Made with things you likely have on hand.
All the ingredients in this dish prepped out for easy assembly.

Ingredients In Enchilada Pasta

  • Diced tomatoes: Choose fire-roasted so it has extra flavor.
  • Enchilada sauce: Mild, medium, or hot, whatever you like best.
  • Shell pasta: I tested this recipe with medium shells.
  • Chicken broth: Water and chicken bouillon work too if that’s what you’ve got.
  • Taco seasoning: Homemade has the most flavor, but store-bought is quicker.
  • Black beans: Rinse well so there is less salt.
  • Corn: Fresh, frozen, or canned.
  • Bell peppers: Use minis for more color, or one big pepper if you want.
  • Rotisserie chicken: Quick and tasty, but make sure it’s cut into small pieces.
  • Cheddar cheese: Use sharp or extra sharp so it has the most flavor.

Topping Ideas:

Our three favorites on Enchilada Pasta: sour cream, diced avocado, and cilantro.

  • Sliced green onions
  • Chopped cilantro
  • Diced avocado or guac
  • Sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • Sliced jalapeños for extra heat
  • Quartered cherry tomatoes
  • Lime wedges for squeezing
  • Crushed tortilla chips (or strips) for crunch
  • Sliced olives

Storage

Leftovers?

  • Best fresh: Enchilada Pasta is best right when it’s done cooking.
  • Refrigerate: Store in an sealed container for up to 3 days.
  • Freeze: Keep for up to 3 months; thaw in the fridge.
  • Reheat: Warm on the stove with a bit of broth or water so it gets saucy again.

More One Pot Recipes:

5 from 5 votes

Enchilada Pasta

Enchilada Pasta brings all the bold, cheesy flavors you love—plus pasta! One skillet, pure comfort.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

Ingredients

Add First
Add Later
  • 15.5 ounces black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1-1/2 cups frozen corn or 1 can, drained
  • 1 cup thinly sliced mini bell peppers or 1 regular pepper, diced
Finishing
  • 1-1/2 cups rotisserie chicken diced to small pieces
  • 3/4 cup sharp Cheddar cheese freshly shredded, pack to measure
  • Toppings as desired see note 4

Instructions 

  • In a large skillet over high heat, combine the “add first” ingredients. Stir and bring to a boil.
  • As soon as it boils, add the “add later” ingredients. Stir and bring back to a boil.
  • Boil, uncovered, for 5–9 minutes, stirring every minute or so to keep pasta from catching. Cook until pasta is almost done, but a tiny bit firmer than you want, and is still saucy. Remove skillet from heat and stir for another minute or so to let the sauce reduce and pasta finish cooking.
  • Stir through chicken. Add cheese, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring gently until melted.
  • Serve promptly, adding any desired toppings to individual plates. I love a scoop of sour cream, squeeze of lime, diced avocado, and some green onions or cilantro. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Here’s the exact skillet I use and LOVE (12-inch, 4.5-quart skillet). Smaller skillets will take longer to cook.
Note 2: Heat levels vary by brand; I recommend a mild one (I love Old El Paso).
Note 3: For the most possible flavor, make your own (otherwise I recommend a good brand of taco seasoning (1 oz size) for the most flavor).
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon each: paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
Note 4: Optional toppings: cherry tomatoes, green onions, cilantro, fresh lime, fat-free sour cream, olives, and guac or avocado.
Storage: This dish is best enjoyed fresh, but you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 579kcal | Carbohydrates: 78.5g | Protein: 36.4g | Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 66.4mg | Sodium: 1992.1mg | Fiber: 13.3g | Sugar: 15.6g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

 

Meet Chelsea


Hello, and welcome to Chelseaโ€™s Messy Apron! Iโ€™m Chelsea, the recipe developer, food photographer, and writer behind the site. Iโ€™m passionate about creating simple, reliable, and delicious recipes that anyone can make.

Thanks for stopping byโ€”I hope you find something delicious to make!

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5 from 5 votes (1 rating without comment)

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46 Comments

  1. Susan MacFarland says:

    Good idea, but please make your own Enchilada sauce. It is easier than you think and worth it. Freeze a batch is good too.

    1. Chelsea says:

      It is delicious with homemade enchilada sauce!

  2. Meghan says:

    Can you include the nutrition break down please?

    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      Hey Meghan, I just added the nutrition break down! ๐Ÿ™‚

  3. Lynn V. says:

    5 stars
    My son & I LOVED this dish, husband so, so. I would prefer to dirty another dish and boil the noodles separate. Would I remove the chicken stock/broth from the recipe then? Thanks so much for another great dish! Especially when I am waiting for my new oven & I can only use the top of my range
    and a crockpot ; )

  4. Kate says:

    5 stars
    Made this tonight and my husband and I absolutely loved it! We used some chicken breasts he prepared on his pellet smoker and it was perfection! Will definitely be making again.

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      I’m so happy this was a hit! Thanks so much for the comment Kate ๐Ÿ™‚

  5. Barbara says:

    5 stars
    Loved it!! I did the canned chicken because i had it on hand, but I also added some leftover chicken from the night before and just chunked it up. It was so good that I thought I would take some to my sister who was recovering from surgery and she went crazy over it. Had to have the recipe. Fabulous! Thank you so much. Love the one-skillet thing!!
    It’s a keeper!!

  6. Jen says:

    If you didn’t want to do canned, but still wanted it to be one pot, you could buy a rotisserie chicken! Looks delish! Can’t wait to try it.