Enchilada Pasta mixes delicious enchilada flavors with pasta’s heartiness, creating the BEST comfort food in just one skillet!
author’s note
The 30 Minute Dinner That Never Has Leftovers!
My kids’ favorite dinners are always pasta and enchiladas. Either one is almost guaranteed to be a win at my house, so naturally, when I first heard about this combo, I knew I had to try it. And sure enough, it was an instant hit.
This dish has all the cozy, saucy enchilada flavors they love, mixed with hearty pasta that makes it extra filling and satisfying. Everything cooks together in one skillet, which I love on busy nights, and it is the kind of dinner that feels comforting without being complicated. It is warm, cheesy, and packed with flavor, and it disappears fast every single time I make it.
Ingredients In Enchilada Pasta
| Ingredient | Swaps or Tips |
|---|---|
| Enchilada sauce | Use mild for family friendly, medium or hot for more heat |
| Shell pasta | Medium shells work best; avoid long noodles |
| Rotisserie chicken | Any cooked chicken works; chop into small pieces |
| Black beans | Pinto beans work great too |
| Corn | Fresh, frozen, or canned all work |
| Sharp cheddar | Colby Jack or Mexican blend also work |
How To Make Enchilada Pasta
- Base: Enchilada sauce, tomatoes, pasta, broth, and seasoning go into the skillet.
- Boil and cook: Bring to a boil and let the pasta cook right in the sauce until just tender.
- Add the mix ins: Stir in beans, corn, and peppers partway through.
- Finish strong: Add chicken and cheese, stirring gently until melted and creamy.
- Serve hot: Top each bowl just how you like it.
Storage
- 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:
Enchilada Pasta
Video
Equipment
- Large skillet nonstick, see note 1
Ingredients
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes not drained
- 10 ounces mild red enchilada sauce see note 2
- 2 cups medium shells pasta
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 (1-ounce) batch taco seasoning see note 3
- 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
- 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
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon each: paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Topping Ideas:
My three favorites on Enchilada Pasta: sour cream, diced avocado, and cilantro.
- Sliced green onions, for a mild bite
- Chopped cilantro, for a fresh finish
- Diced avocado or guac, for creaminess
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt, to cool things down
- Sliced jalapeños, if you want extra heat
- Quartered cherry tomatoes, for a juicy pop
- Lime wedges, for squeezing over the top
- Crushed tortilla chips or strips, for crunch
- Sliced olives, to round it all out
Good idea, but please make your own Enchilada sauce. It is easier than you think and worth it. Freeze a batch is good too.
It is delicious with homemade enchilada sauce!
Can you include the nutrition break down please?
Hey Meghan, I just added the nutrition break down! 🙂
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 ; )
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.
I’m so happy this was a hit! Thanks so much for the comment Kate 🙂
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!!
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.